By Mina Pollmann
New reforms would give Japan’s SDF personnel increased say over military decisions.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) officials are planning to submit a proposal to the Diet as soon as early March to amend the MOD’s decision-making structure. The proposal aims to put Japan’s Self-Defense Force (SDF) officers on equal footing with their civilian bureaucratic counterparts. SDF personnel as well as current Diet members who formerly served in the SDF support the amendment, which is designed to give uniformed personnel greater control over SDF tactical operations than they currently have.
The move to rank defense-related bureaucrats and SDF personnel equally, so that they would serve the defense minister in the same capacity, stems from the government’s desire to correct the perception that ‘the suits’ are controlling ‘the uniforms.’ Under the current ministry establishment law, bureaucrats “assist the defense minister” when he/she instructs the Joint Staff chief and the chief of each SDF arm — the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF), and the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF). This ensures civilian input on instructions issued by the defense minister, including directives such as orders for SDF units and personnel changes — much to the frustration of uniformed personnel.
Under the proposed reform, the chiefs of staff of the SDF branches will support the minister as equals to the director-general of ministry bureaus and the director-general of the Minister’s Secretariat. Also, SDF units assigned to respond to a contingency (e.g. missile launches, large-scale disasters) will be able to report directly to the minister and the minister can instruct SDF units directly through the chief of staff of each SDF branch.
Read the full story at The Diplomat