The Defense Agency has decided to boost the authority of Self-Defense Forces personnel within the organization by allowing the top uniformed officer to offer direct assistance to the agency's civilian director general, agency sources said.
The agency has also decided to expand the involvement of uniformed officers in the process of drafting the director general's commands, in an effort to heighten the SDF's readiness in implementing such operations as missile defense, the sources said.
The move, which comes ahead of the planned integration of the operations of the ground, maritime and air branches in March, could spark debate over concerns that civilian control will be eroded.
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