However, whether or not an active Self-Defense Official concurrently serves as a Secretary of State for Defense, it is understood that appointment of a career military man or a Self-Defense official to a Secretary of State for Defense itself is not illegal (For instance, Yasuhiro NAKASONE (lieutenant colonel) who graduated from the Naval Paymasters' School, Raizo MATSUNO (major), Ganri YAMASHITA (lieutenant), and Gen NAKATANI who was in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (First Lieutenant) were appointed to Chief Secretary of State for Defense).
しかし、現役の自衛官が防衛大臣を兼ねることはともかく、かつて職業軍人であった者や自衛官であった者が、防衛大臣に就任すること自体は憲法違反にあたらないと解されている（例えば、旧海軍経理学校出身の中曽根康弘（中佐）、松野頼三（少佐）、山下元利（中尉）らや陸上自衛隊自衛官（二等陸尉）であった中谷元が防衛庁長官に就任している）。