Japan's defence minister resigns
Kosuke Takahashi - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
28 July 2017
Japan's Defence Minister Tomomi Inada resigned on 28 July following allegations of a cover-up at her ministry of sensitive logs detailing the activities of Japanese troops operating as UN peacekeepers in South Sudan.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Tokyo had been under heavy criticism over suspicions that it may have intentionally hidden military reports revealing a worsening security situation in the African country.
The Japanese pacifist constitution maintains an exclusively defence-oriented policy and prohibits Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) personnel from operating in combat zones.
Speaking at a press conference Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has seen his government’s approval ratings plummet in recent months, accepted Inada’s resignation letter and announced that Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has taken over the defence portfolio for the time being.
Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options: ihs.com/contact
To read the full article, Client Login
(150 of 375 words)
