Japan Replaces Navy Chief, Punishes Officials Over Scandals

Admiral Ryo Sakai will retire as more than 200 are punished
The woes cast a shadow over Japan’s historic defense build-up

Minoru Kihara bows during a press conference at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo on July 12.Source: STR/Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Ryotaro Nakamaru, Mia Glass, and Alastair Gale

July 12, 2024 at 3:22 AM UTC

Updated on

July 12, 2024 at 5:36 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Japan replaced the head of its navy and punished more than 200 defense officials after a string of scandals that include mishandling of classified information and overclaiming on pay.

The array of misconduct is some of most widespread revealed in the Japanese defense establishment in recent years and casts a shadow over Tokyo’s efforts to bolster its military to deal with rising challenges from China and North Korea.