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Japan Cabinet approves bill to enhance uniformed personnel status in MOD

Xinhua, March 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet on Friday approved a Defense Ministry-related bill, seeking to change the power dynamics within the ministry and allow uniformed Self Defense Forces (SDF) officers greater power, local media reported.

Under the current Defense Ministry Establishment law, defense bureaucrats are able to assist the defense minister when he or she issues instructions to the Joint Staff Chief and the Chief of each SDF arm. But under the amendment, the uniformed personnel could get equal footing to assist the minister.

The government hopes the bill would get approval during the current Diet session through June 24.

If it is approved by the Diet, uniformed SDF personnel will be able to exert greater influence on the nation's political decisions concerning military matters. The move will also weaken civilian control over the SDF, making it difficult to hold "the uniforms" in check.

The amendment will also abolish the Bureau of Operational Policy, one of the ministry's internal bureaus, and has the operation of SDF units placed under centralized control of the Joint Staff, an organ mainly comprising SDF members. Endi