A former member of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's advisory body on security issues will be the next president of the National Defense Academy, government sources said Wednesday.
The appointment of Makoto Iokibe, 62, a Kobe University law professor and high-profile expert on political and diplomatic issues, particularly U.S.-Japan relations, will take effect Aug. 1 following approval by the Cabinet, the sources said.
Iokibe will be filling a position vacated by Masashi Nishihara, who retired March 31.
The advisory panel he was on compiled a report in 2004 proposing Japan shift its defense policy from providing minimum defense against invasion to being a multifunctional and flexible defense power.
The report was the basis of the new National Defense Program Outline released by the government in December 2004.
Iokibe was also chairman between 1999 and 2000 of a subcommittee that discussed policy for the 21st century under the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
