The Defense Ministry has said it admonished Adm. Tomohisa Takei, the Maritime Self-Defense Force chief of staff, for undermining — through "thoughtless" remarks to subordinates — the procurement process for new helicopters.
The results of a ministry investigation released Friday found that Takei mentioned a specific type of helicopter during the process and subordinates took action to make it the MSDF's preferred model.
Takei, 59, told a news conference that he had no intention to exert pressure on them and expressed "deep regret" for the matter, especially because it delayed an acquisition intended to improve Japan's defensive capabilities.