Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba relieved Maritime Self-Defense Force chief Adm. Eiji Yoshikawa of his command March 21 and punished 87 others — service members and officials — for a series of MSDF-related incidents since last year.

Adm. Eiji Yoshikawa KYODO PHOTO

The Defense Ministry also released a set of reports on incidents, including the collision between the Aegis destroyer Atago and a tuna boat that claimed the lives of the trawler's crew, the leak of confidential data related to the Aegis radar system within the MSDF, and a December fire aboard the destroyer Shirane.

Ishiba said he punished Vice Defense Minister Kohei Masuda and Yoshikawa, cutting their salaries 10 percent for two and three months, respectively, as well as MSDF officers and sailors for their improper response to the collision, including their tardiness in alerting him and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

Ishiba dismissed Yoshikawa from his post after imposing the punishment and named MSDF Sasebo District Headquarters commandant Adm. Keiji Akahoshi as Yoshikawa's successor. Adm. Tamotsu Kato succeeded Akahoshi.

Ishiba also said he will return part of his salary for March and April, nearly ¥320,000 in total, to the state coffers while Senior Vice Defense Minister Akinori Eto as well as the two parliamentary defense secretaries will do likewise.

Fukuda said he hopes the measures encourage "the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces to renew themselves." But ministry officials admit the actions are insufficient and indicated fundamental reforms appear to be unlikely.