Defense Minister Gen Nakatani admitted Wednesday that the ministry's Joint Staff Office created an internal document in late May about expanding overseas operations of the Self-Defense Forces, based on the assumption that security legislation currently under debate in the Upper House would be enacted.
Nakatani, however, dismissed claims from the opposition camp that the move disregards Diet discussion of the bills and violates civilian control of the SDF, saying the document was made merely to inform ministry officials about the contents of the bills.
"I believe it is a matter of course (for the Joint Staff) to marshal future agendas," Nakatani said during an Upper House special committee on the security bills. "It is not something that prejudged the legislation's enactment."