PanOrient News

The Japanese daily, Yomiuri Shimbun, illustrates media disdain for the qualifications of new defense minister, Naoki Tanaka who is shown studying books titled “Okinawa”, “Weapons”, “Japan-UAS” (relations), and “Defense Minster” whilst his wife, Makiko Tanaka, stands sternly. Local tabloids say Naoki Tanaka is “under the thumb” of his strong wife.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda appointed Tanaka in a Cabinet reshuffle Friday Jan. 13 "because of his experience in dealing with defense" but in a TV program, when speaking about the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces troops to South Sudan, Tanaka confused Japan's rules that restrict the use of weapons by SDF troops during U.N. peacekeeping missions with the country's ban on arms exports.

On Monday Tanaka effectively withdrew an earlier suggestion that the ministry may be planning to start construction within this year for the controversial relocation of a U.S. military base in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan.

Opposition parties have been quick to accuse Tanaka of lacking the necessary qualifications for his post. The cartoon suggests his wife is making sure he will be prepared for his grilling at an ordinary parliamentary session opening on Jan. 24.

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