大臣承認文書、偽造疑い　海自調達で不正、告発―防衛装備庁

　防衛装備庁は７日、海上自衛隊の装備品調達をめぐり、防衛相の承認手続きの文書が偽造されたとして、容疑者不詳のまま公文書偽造の疑いで海自警務隊に告発したと発表した。
　同庁によると、２０１７年度の海自地方部隊の艦船修理や航空機の部品調達に関する随意契約の大臣承認手続きで、９件の公文書が決裁を得たように装われたり、承認の日付が改ざんされたりしていた。
　海自の地方総監部などが高額な装備品などを随意契約で調達する場合、申請を受けた防衛省海上幕僚監部が防衛装備庁に大臣承認の申請をする。審査は防衛装備庁が行い、大臣から委任された同庁長官が決裁する。海幕内で偽造があったとみられる。（2020/10/07-20:53）

The Japanese government has said that documents related to the defense minister's approvals of defense equipment procurements by the Maritime Self-Defense Force were found to have been falsified.
   The Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, under the wing of the Defense Ministry, said Wednesday that it has filed with the MSDF's police unit a criminal complaint that an unknown suspect is believed to have falsified official documents.
   The agency confirmed falsifications of nine documents related to the minister's approvals in fiscal 2017 of contracts for ship repair work and aircraft parts purchases for MSDF regional units. The contracts were decided without public tenders.
   The nine included ones indicating approval dates different from actual ones and falsely stating that approvals had been given.
   When MSDF regional organizations procure expensive items through such contracts, they ask the ministry's Maritime Staff Office to gain approval from the minister.