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Japan fires navy chief, punishes 88 defense officials

Japan fired its navy chief yesterday and slapped dozens of defense officials with penalties over a series of scandals, while a report found the military negligent in a deadly crash between a destroyer and a fishing boat.

Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who faced pressure to resign following the collision, said he would take a two-month pay cut as part of disciplinary measures aimed at restoring public trust in his battered ministry.

Topping the list of ministry troubles has been a leak of sensitive missile data last year that led to a naval officer's indictment, and the collision last month between a destroyer and a tuna trawler that left two fishermen presumed dead.

"We promise to take preventive measures firmly and promptly," Ishiba told reporters, repeating his apologies for "impermissible" scandals and accidents.

Ishiba said he would set up an investigative panel to prevent future problems, but gave no details.

Maritime Self-Defense Forces chief Admiral Eiji Yoshikawa was dismissed over the destroyer collision. He is to be succeeded by Keiji Akahoshi, a former regional commander at Sasebo naval base in southern Japan.

Two vice defense ministers and 19 other navy executives are also taking pay cuts, returning part of their monthly salaries to government coffers for up to two months. Seventeen others were suspended from work for up to 40 days over the data leak. A total of 88 officials were punished.

The Defense Ministry also issued a report yesterday acknowledging negligence in the collision with the fishing boat, saying the destroyer failed to guard against smaller vessels and ignored its responsibility to give way.
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