Yamato Tapped as Japan's Top Defense Bureaucrat

   Tokyo, July 15 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government decided Tuesday to appoint Taro Yamato, director-general of the Defense Ministry's Bureau of Defense Policy, as the next administrative vice minister of defense.
   In the appointment dated Aug. 1, Yamato will take over the top bureaucrat post from Kazuo Masuda.
   The government also decided that Hajime Aoyagi, head of the ministry's Bureau of Defense Buildup Planning, will replace Takeshi Ishikawa as commissioner of the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, and that Manabu Mannami, director-general of the Defense Minister's Secretariat, will head the Bureau of Defense Policy.
   It also approved the retirement of Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida as chief of staff at the Self-Defense Forces' Joint Staff. The Ground SDF general will be succeeded by Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, chief of staff of the Air SDF, whose position will be filled by Takehiro Morita, commander of the ASDF Air Support Command.
   Gen. Yasunori Morishita, GSDF chief of staff, will also retire, with Masayoshi Arai, commanding general of the GSDF Western Army, assuming his role.

(2025/07/15-16:30)