Self-Defense Force Wrongdoings: Folly Ruins Public’s Confidence in SDF

Editorial

15:00 JST, December 29, 2024

In various departments of the Self-Defense Forces, which are required to have a high sense of morality and strict governance, misconduct has been rampant. Acts that betray the public’s trust are absolutely unacceptable.

The closed-off nature of the Defense Ministry, which concealed arrests of SDF personnel, is also a cause for concern. It is an urgent task for the SDF to correct the discipline of the entire organization.

The ministry has released an interim report on its special inspection into the issue of Maritime Self-Defense Forces submarine crew members being treated specially by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) in connection with contracts to repair submarines.

It was found that fictitious transactions carried out by KHI with subcontractors to cover the cost of such treatment amounted to around ¥1.7 billion over the six-year period from fiscal 2018 to 2023 alone. It is said that such transactions had been going on for nearly 40 years.

The slush funds generated through these fictitious transactions were used to purchase items, such as rice cookers and refrigerators, requested by the crew as well as for wining and dining them.

The special inspection also found that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. had delivered items not included in contracts to the MSDF.

If the SDF colludes with leading defense industry companies, it is only natural that doubt will be cast on the increase in defense spending. It is essential to eradicate the wrongdoing.

The ministry has also announced that there were new wrongdoings related to “specially designated secrets,” which are classified information regarding security matters.

When SDF members who return from secondment need to handle specially designated secrets, they need to obtain qualifications again, but there were around 100 cases in which this requirement was neglected. The wrongdoings in connection with specially designated secrets were only revealed in July. The safeguarding of information is far too sloppy.

Furthermore, a member of the Ground Self-Defense Force had mistakenly disposed of one document on specially designated secrets that outlined the actions to be taken by the SDF in a contingency. It was also discovered that when the member received the document, he forged a document to prove receipt and submitted it.

Why did this member forge the document? Was the secret document really disposed of? The ministry needs to thoroughly investigate this matter.

In September, the police unit of the GSDF arrested this member on suspicion of such charges as counterfeiting an official document. The arrest is said to have been reported to the then defense minister, but it was not announced publicly.

The ministry has said that the reason for not making the arrest public was because it was suspected that the crime might be of an organized nature, but the actual situation should be clarified and explained. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani should examine whether this handling was appropriate.

In addition, the ministry took disciplinary measures against 86 more MSDF personnel for receiving diving allowances illicitly. When combined with the previously announced figures, the total number of personnel disciplined has risen to 160. The lack of a law-abiding spirit is appalling.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 29, 2024)