100 New Cases of Security Secrets Mishandling Found at SDF

Tokyo, Dec. 27 (Jiji Press)--Japan’s Defense Ministry said Friday that it has found over 100 new cases of the Self-Defense Forces mishandling designated security secrets, such as improper procedures for members transferring posts and illegal copying of information.

The ministry has been conducting investigations after many violations of rules over the handling of secrets were found mainly on Maritime SDF vessels, resulting in punishments of some 120 members in July.

According to the ministry, those who handle designated secrets must retake aptitude tests every time they move to other government agencies even if they have previously passed.

Still, there were 101 cases of members failing to do this when returning to the ministry from the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency or from the Cabinet Office. The ministry plans to punish those involved soon.

It also discovered a case in which a senior Air SDF member inappropriately instructed subordinates to record and listen again to explanations of information that included designated secrets, a case in which data including secrets were wrongly stored in a shared folder at the Ground SDF, and a case involving the mistaken disposal of secret documents at the GSDF. Seven people have been punished over these cases.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]