Defense minister suggests SDF support candidate in Tokyo election

Defense Minister Tomomi Inada suggested Tuesday that the Self-Defense Forces support a Liberal Democratic Party candidate running in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, sparking criticism from opposition lawmakers that her remarks amounted to a political use of the nation's defense apparatus.In a stump speech at a campaign rally in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward, Inada asked voters to cast ballots for her party's candidate, saying the request came from "the Defense Ministry, the SDF, the defense minister and the LDP." Hours later, she told reporters she will "withdraw" the remarks on the …READ FULL ARTICLE