Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe on Thursday supported the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's recent decision to try to turn the Defense Agency into a ministry.
"I think it is natural to upgrade it into a ministry . . . as it is a government body taking charge of the core elements of national security," Abe, the top government spokesman, told a regular news conference.
But Abe also said that it would be necessary to get the support of the LDP's ruling coalition partner, New Komeito, the international community, and the Japanese public.
At a Tuesday meeting of its Administrative Reform Promotion Headquarters, the LDP decided to submit a bill to the Diet next year to have the Defense Agency upgraded to a ministry.
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