Diet Lower House Budget Committee MeetingDiet Lower House Budget Committee MeetingDiet Lower House Budget Committee MeetingDiet Lower House Budget Committee Meeting

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February 2, 2012, Tokyo, Japan – Japans Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka, right, receives a piece of advice from his aid during a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting in Tokyo. Tanaka, who was appointed in January, was caught in a cross fire as a senior Defense Ministry official came under suspicion of tampering with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located. Tanaka now has no choice but to sack Ro Manabe, his Okinawa bureau chief, according to the media reports. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

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Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda raises his hand before speaking at a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting. Noda was under attack from the opposition camp for suspected tampering by a senior Defense Ministry official with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located, yet another severe blow to Noda’s government. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

February 2, 2012, Tokyo, Japan – Japans Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka, right, receives a piece of advice from his aid during a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting in Tokyo. Tanaka, who was appointed in January, was caught in a cross fire as a senior Defense Ministry official came under suspicion of tampering with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located. Tanaka now has no choice but to sack Ro Manabe, his Okinawa bureau chief, according to the media reports. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda raises his hand before speaking at a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting. Noda was under attack from the opposition camp for suspected tampering by a senior Defense Ministry official with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located, yet another severe blow to Noda’s government. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

February 2, 2012, Tokyo, Japan – Japans Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka, right, receives a piece of advice from his aid during a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting in Tokyo. Tanaka, who was appointed in January, was caught in a cross fire as a senior Defense Ministry official came under suspicion of tampering with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located. Tanaka now has no choice but to sack Ro Manabe, his Okinawa bureau chief, according to the media reports. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda raises his hand before speaking at a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting. Noda was under attack from the opposition camp for suspected tampering by a senior Defense Ministry official with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located, yet another severe blow to Noda’s government. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

February 2, 2012, Tokyo, Japan – Japans Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka, right, receives a piece of advice from his aid during a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting in Tokyo. Tanaka, who was appointed in January, was caught in a cross fire as a senior Defense Ministry official came under suspicion of tampering with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located. Tanaka now has no choice but to sack Ro Manabe, his Okinawa bureau chief, according to the media reports. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

(Click on the image above to view the full gallery)

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda raises his hand before speaking at a Diet lower house Budget Committee meeting. Noda was under attack from the opposition camp for suspected tampering by a senior Defense Ministry official with the upcoming mayoral election in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, where U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is located, yet another severe blow to Noda’s government. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)