[November 11, 2008]

LEAD: Tamogami calls in Diet for revising Constitution+

(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, Nov. 11_(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO)

Former air force chief Toshio Tamogami called for revising the U.S.-drafted Constitution during a parliamentary session he attended as an unsworn witness Tuesday to testify about his controversial essay on Japan's role in World War II.

Tamogami also pressed his case over the essay that denies Japan's wartime aggression in other Asian countries and complained about his dismissal as the Air Self-Defense Force's chief of staff Oct. 31 during a closely watched 160-minute session in the House of Councillors.

"It is better to fix a thing over which such a big opinion gap exists in connection with national defense," Tamogami told the upper house's Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense.

Tamogami, 60, did not elaborate but it is believed he was referring to differences over legal interpretations of Japan's Constitution, which renounces war and the possession of armed forces as a means of settling international disputes.

Tamogami testified before the committee as a rare witness who left the Self-Defense Forces as a top officer shortly before that, and faced a barrage of questions and criticism from opposition lawmakers who dominated the panel.

At the onset of the session, Committee Chairman Toshimi Kitazawa from the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan told Tamogami, "This is not a place where you can express political opinions."

The former general pressed his case over his essay, telling the panel, "I don't think there is anything (in the essay) that goes beyond the government's position."

Tamogami complained about his dismissal due to the essay, saying, "It seems odd that the government tries to control free speech of SDF personnel because of the position of successive governments."

"I was fired after saying Japan is a good country...It's a bit strange," Tamogami said.

Tamogami said he has no intention of voluntarily returning a retirement allowance worth some 60 million yen, despite growing calls for him to do so from some even in Prime Minister Taro Aso's ruling coalition. The Defense Ministry has yet to pay the benefit.

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada reiterated to the panel that he sacked Tamogami as ASDF chief because Tamogami's essay contains views clearly contradictory to the position of successive governments.

Opposition lawmakers including Keiichiro Asao, the defense minister in the DPJ's shadow Cabinet, blasted Hamada for allowing Tamogami to leave the ministry with a status eligible to receive the retirement allowance.

The opposition lawmakers said Hamada should have punished Tamogami even if it took the ministry a long time to do so.

Hamada defended the decision, saying, "We made the judgment thinking it would be the fastest way for us to lead him to leave."

Tamogami admitted he had informed the Education Division of the ministry's Air Staff Office of the existence of an essay competition effectively organized by a friend of his.

The division chief then notified ASDF units across Japan in May of the competition, organized by hotel and condominium developer Apa Group under the theme "True Modern Historical Perspective," according to Vice Defense Minister Kohei Masuda.

Of the 235 participants in the contest, 94 were from the ASDF. The high ratio has fueled suspicion that ASDF personnel authored and submitted essays on the political theme in an orchestrated way.

But during the upper house committee session, Tamogami denied he told a subordinate to encourage ASDF personnel to submit essays in the competition. Tamogami won the top prize of 3 million yen in the competition with the controversial essay.

In the essay, Tamogami also challenged the restrictions on the SDF's use of arms overseas and the ban on the exercise of collective self-defense -- or helping an ally militarily -- under the pacifist Constitution.

Tamogami left the ministry after being demoted to the rank of lieutenant general on Nov. 3.

Copyright ? 2008 Kyodo News International, Inc.

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