Japan's DM urged to quit for remarks made during election campaign

Japan's opposition parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party, on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Defense Minister Tomomi Inada for remarks she made using the Self-Defense Forces to promote a specific candidate in the upcoming Tokyo metropolitan assembly election.

As the nation's Self-Defense Forces Law strictly prohibits political activities by its personnel, opposition parties have been incensed by a remark Inada made on Tuesday at a stump speech, calling on voters to cast their ballots for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate, saying that the request came from "the Defense Ministry, the Defense Minister and the LDP."

Just hours later, the defense minister retracted her comments, saying that they might lead to "misunderstandings."

"Her comment, which conflicts with the SDF law, was out of line and she should resign immediately," insisted Renho, the Democratic Party leader, who goes by her first name. "Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bears responsibility for having appointed her," she told a press briefing.

While Inada said that she plans to continue to fulfill her role as defense minister "steadfastly" and not step down, the Diet Affairs' Chiefs of the Democratic, Japanese Communist, Liberal and Social Democratic parties will jointly demand Inada's resignation following a meeting on Wednesday.

They will also hold Abe responsible for appointing her.

With the LDP hoping to cling on to its majority in the metropolitan assembly when voters in the capital go to the polls on July 2, a new party gaining traction during campaigning and formed by popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike will ensure the elections are not a one horse race.

As to Inada's remarks, Koike said that they were "inconceivable" and that a defense minister should not have misunderstood the SDF's position on political neutrality.

But Abe, while warning Inada over the remark, seemingly has no plans to ask for her resignation.

Abe has cautioned Inada over the remark but asked her to stay on, the government's top spokesman said Wednesday.

"The prime minister gave her the same instruction that I did. We want her to fulfill her responsibility to explain herself as a minister, and continue to perform her role," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference on the matter.

Suga conceded that Inada's remarks were misleading and that it was him that advised her to retract them and apologize for them as swiftly as possible.

The top government spokesperson was quoted as telling Inada that, as defense minister, she should have been fully aware of the the political neutrality of government institutions when declaring her support for a candidate, as per Japan's Self-Defense Forces Law.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)