MSDF Members Likely to Have Improperly Claimed Diving Allowances; Defense Ministry Investigating Situation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:36 JST, July 9, 2024

Members of the Maritime Self-Defense Force responsible for missions such as rescuing distressed submarines are suspected of falsely claiming diving allowances, according to Defense Ministry sources.

The ministry is conducting an in-house investigation, aiming to reprimand dozens of them, and it plans to make an official announcement.

The MSDF has a unit set up to rescue crew members from submarines in the event that an accident occurs and the sub is unable to surface, and unit members are paid allowances according to their diving duties.

The ministry said it has confirmed that some allowances were falsely claimed.

“We are investigating what happened,” Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.