The Defense Ministry's Okinawa bureau chief strongly denied Friday trying to sway the way ministry officials and their relatives may vote in Ginowan's mayoral election or encouraging them to support a specific candidate, but admitted his actions could be construed as unlawful.
Ro Manabe, giving unsworn testimony in the Diet, has faced withering criticism over allegedly attempting to sway certain voters in the Feb. 12 mayoral race, and opposition parties have been calling on Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka to sack him.
But Tanaka said later in the day he still hasn't concluded Manabe's actions were illegal and has yet to make a decision about the bureau chief's fate.