Defense Agency admits to telling arms manufacturers to keep requests in secret

The Defense Agency director general has virtually confirmed that the agency had advised an arms manufacturer not to make public its request for the firm's engineers to be sent to Iraq.

This was in an answer to Japanese Communist Party representative Sasaki Kensho at the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on February 12.

Sasaki's question was based on an Akahata report of February 8 revealing an in-house circular of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. dated January 26.

Concerning the agency's request for engineers to repair Air SDF transport aircraft C-130s in Iraq and Kuwait, the circular said, "We are asked to be very careful not to allow information about the request to be leaked to the public. Today, we received another reminder on this matter from the agency's aircraft division chief."

DA Director General Ishiba Shigeru said, "It is a common practice that we ask for makers' help when repair work needs makers' expertise."

Asked if the agency pressed the company to keep its mouth shut on this particular request, Ishiba answered, "When there was an inquiry from makers whether company names are made public, the responsible officer said an answer to that question will not be forthcoming because the inner agency discussion will take time due to the parliamentary discussion now under way."

Sasaki criticized the Defense Agency for trying to carry out something at civilian engineers' risk without making it known to the people and the Diet. (end)