http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20070829TDY04006.htm Editorial The Yomiuri Shimbun Aug. 29, 2007 Why on earth was such important information, classified as "special defense secrets" handled so carelessly? The data leak case involving information on Aegis vessels of the Maritime Self-Defense Force started when a lieutenant senior grade, a former instructor at the MSDF's First Service School in Hiroshima Prefecture, removed a magneto-optical disk without authorization from the desk of a lieutenant commander who was a senior instructor at the school. The case took another turn when the lieutenant senior grade copied data on the disk onto compact discs and distributed the CDs to his students. The lieutenant then handed the CDs to petty officers at the destroyer Shimakaze, to which he was later assigned. On the Shimakaze, the data were stored in an MSDF personal computer shared by crew members. Those who were assigned to firing control on the destroyer had access to the data. On Tuesday, the Kanagawa prefectural police and the MSDF's internal investigation unit searched the Shimakaze and other locations on suspicion of a violation of the law concerning protection of information in connection with the Japan-U.S. Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement. It was the fourth such search conducted with the aim of establishing a criminal case. Since the investigation started seven months ago, the routes of the leaked information have been mostly identified. The result of the investigation shows the lack of a sense of alertness in an organization tasked with defending our nation. === Ministry must take more care The case first emerged when the prefectural police seized a PC hard disk in a search of the home of a petty officer 2nd class in connection with a visa violation allegedly committed by the petty officer's Chinese wife. How far did the the leaked information spread before it reached the petty officer 2nd class? The data could have been leaked to parties outside the MSDF. An Aegis vessel is a U.S.-developed state-of-the-art ship that has a highly advanced air-defense capability. The leaked data comprised the latest information on the Aegis system obtained by senior officers at the MSDF's Yokosuka base who traveled to the United States to learn about the system. The officers, including the lieutenant commander, entered the information they acquired in the MO disks and shared it. Newly appointed Defense Minister Masahiko Komura said at a press conference: "All Japanese administrative bodies treat information too lightly. This could have an effect on the nation's international relations." The Defense Ministry should be the government body that is the most sensitive and careful about information management. The ministry must tighten up its information management. === National security threatened In mentioning a possible "effect on the nation's international relations," Komura doubtless was referring to Japan's relations with the United States. But the effects of the case are already evident. The Defense Ministry is in the process of selecting the nation's next mainstay fighter. The F-22 Raptor, the United States' highly advanced fighter jet, is the strongest candidate for the selection. However, there are now doubts over whether Washington will allow the export of the fighter to Japan. The United States is carefully considering whether to export the F-22 to Japan, and one of the reasons behind its cautious stance apparently is the scandal over the MSDF's leak of Aegis data. Washington apparently is concerned that top-secret high-tech information about the F-22 may be compromised if the fighter is exported to Japan. In response to the scandal, the Defense Ministry has decided to integrate the intelligence security commands at the three branches of the Self-Defense Forces into one new organization next fiscal year. The organizational laxity that allowed key U.S. naval information to reach a sailor of such lowly rank as a petty officer 2nd class must be corrected. The careless attitude of "treating information too lightly" has had a serious impact on Japan's national security. This reality must be recognized and addressed. ____________________________________ Attend HITBSecConf2007 - Malaysia Taking place September 3-6 2007 featuring seven tracks of technical training and a dual-track security conference with keynote speakers Lance Spitzner and Mikko Hypponen! - Book your seats today! http://conference.hitb.org/hitbsecconf2007kl/
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