SDF officer shouts abuse at opposition lawmaker

Apr 18, 2018 | News On Japan

Apr 18, 2018 (NHK) - A Japanese opposition party member says a Self-Defense Force officer yelled at him and accused him of being an enemy of the Japanese people.

Democratic Party member Hiroyuki Konishi was speaking at an Upper House committee meeting on Tuesday. He said a man identifying himself as an SDF member repeatedly shouted the accusation at him on a street near the Diet the previous night.

Konishi said he told the man that it is illegal for SDF personnel to make such claims. He added that the man eventually agreed to retract his remarks.

Konishi said police told him on Tuesday morning that the man is a member of the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff Office. He also said the man should be punished in accordance with the law.

SDF Chief of Staff Katsutoshi Kawano visited Konishi on Tuesday afternoon to apologize.

Konishi asked Kawano to take disciplinary action against the man and educate SDF officers to ensure civilian control.

Konishi later told reporters that the man's actions are impermissible in light of democracy. He said Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera should resign immediately.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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