Defense Minister Tomomi Inada suggested Tuesday that the Self-Defense Forces support a Liberal Democratic Party candidate running in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, sparking criticism from opposition lawmakers that her remarks amounted to a political use of the nation's defense apparatus.
In a stump speech at a campaign rally in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward, Inada asked voters to cast ballots for her party's candidate, saying the request came from "the Defense Ministry, the SDF, the defense minister and the LDP." Hours later, she told reporters she will "withdraw" the remarks on the grounds they can be "misunderstood."
Inada's original remarks appeared to deviate from the principle of neutrality expected of an administrative branch. A law governing the SDF imposes restrictions on the political activities of their personnel.
An SDF officer said Inada has given the impression she "unilaterally used" the SDF even though SDF personnel are not allowed to make political statements. "I'm afraid people may misunderstand that all SDF personnel support the LDP," the officer said.
The remarks by Inada, a lawyer-turned-lawmaker, could deal a fresh blow to the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the LDP, with both under pressure due to the ruling coalition's handling of controversial "conspiracy" legislation and allegations that Abe used his influence to enable the opening of a university department by an educational group run by a close friend.
Toshio Ogawa, a House of Councillors member from the main opposition Democratic Party, criticized Inada, telling Kyodo News that Inada has been using the defense administrative branch "completely as her own," even though it is supposed to serve the public.
Questions over her remarks also mounted within the LDP. One member who used to be a Cabinet minister urged Inada to "immediately" apologize for her remarks, given that the LDP is waging a close electoral race with a party led by popular Gov. Yuriko Koike for control of the metropolitan assembly.
Shortly after making the remarks, Inada told reporters, "I used such language as part of my efforts to convey my appreciation to people in the community, but I'm rooting (for the candidate) strictly as (a member of) the LDP."
Tomoaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University, noted that the Defense Ministry and the SDF are supposed to be independent of a particular political party or force. "Even though she's a Cabinet minister, she's supposed to root (for a candidate) in an election as an LDP member," he said, adding she "went too far" this time.
The latest controversy follows criticism of the top uniformed SDF officer after he made comments that could be taken as political. Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of the SDF's Joint Staff, said last month he would be "very thankful" if the existence of the SDF is stipulated in the Constitution as recently proposed by the prime minister.
