Photo/Illutration Maritime Self-Defense Force members at the bridge of a destroyer (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The Defense Ministry took disciplinary steps against 218 Self-Defense Forces personnel, officers and bureaucrats for scandals involving the mishandling of classified information and fictitious claims for allowances, among other breaches of protocol.

“I am keenly aware of my responsibility in that the trust of the people was undermined,” Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told a July 12 news conference, where he announced the punishments. “It is my responsibility to do my best to quickly rebuild the Defense Ministry and the SDF under my leadership.”

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, visiting Washington to attend a NATO summit, also said, “I must apologize for the concern I have caused to the public.”

He added: “The current security environment is extremely severe. We should never let our guard down in the defense of our country.” 

Of the 218 SDF members, 113 were punished over breaches of the Law on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets, which took effect in 2014.

Ryo Sakai will resign as Maritime SDF chief of staff because classified national security information was routinely mishandled in violation of the law.

Only those with proper security clearance are permitted to handle “specially designated secrets,” including those involving matters concerning defense and foreign affairs.

The ministry said there were 43 cases in the MSDF and the Air SDF in which unqualified members were made privy to specially designated secrets or similar breaches occurred.

In addition, 15 cases of other violations, such as the inappropriate disposal of classified documents, were discovered in the MSDF, the ASDF, the Ground SDF, the Joint Staff Office and elsewhere.

By organization, the MSDF accounted for 45 cases, the largest number.

Many of those cases occurred aboard MSDF vessels.

On 35 ships, unqualified members were allowed to enter the bridge or combat information center, where specially designated secrets are processed.

Classified information was handled by unqualified staff on three ships.

Across the entire SDF, 205 members without the required security clearance handled specially designated secrets, often under orders from their superiors.

The ministry said it s still investigating two suspected cases of violations.

Ministry officials said the oldest case found occurred in April 2018 but did not discuss the period covered by the investigation.

In addition, it was found that MSDF members attached to two submarine rescue vessels fraudulently received a total of 43 million yen ($266,000) in diving allowances.

The Defense Ministry said the MSDF’s Criminal Investigation Command is looking into whether it can seek criminal charges against those involved.

Separately, three senior officials of the Defense Ministry were disciplined for power harassment, making them the first civilian ministry bureaucrats punished for engaging in such behavior.

Vice Defense Minister Kazuo Masuda, along with the joint chief of staff, the GSDF chief of staff, the ASDF chief of staff and the head of the Defense Intelligence Headquarters, received an admonishment for the spate of issues.

In addition to leaving his post as MSDF chief of staff, Sakai will have his pay cut by one-30th for one month.

Masuda will return 10 percent of his salary for three months.

Kihara said he will voluntarily return one month of his salary as defense minister. He made clear he has no intention of resigning.

The SDF has faced a number of scandals in recent years.

Currently, a special defense inspection is looking into suspicions that submarine crew members were routinely offered goods as well as wining and dining by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., a submarine subcontractor, with funds illicitly pooled through fictitious transactions.

In 2022, a female former SDF member accused male members of sexual abuse while she was in service. Five members were dismissed.

In fiscal 2022, allegations of harassment resulted in 177 SDF members being disciplined, of whom 19 were dismissed.

Related News