Defence Japan's army failing to attract recruits

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Despite skyrocketing military spending, Japan's army struggles to find recruits. In July, a panel of experts warned of an "extremely high" risk that the armed forces would be weakened because of a lack of personnel. Since 1990, the strength of the Self-Defense Forces has fallen by more than seven per cent to under 230,000.

Photo credit: Yuichi Yamazaki​

In 2022 fewer than 4,000 people joined up, undershooting the target by more than half. The last time its objective was met was in 2013. Many advanced economies are having problems recruiting enough people, with the situation particularly acute in Japan, where one in 10 people is 80 or over. But according to current and former soldiers who spoke to AFP, it's not just demographics to blame. "I was ashamed to say that I was in the Self-Defence Forces. It didn't make me proud at all," said Yuichi Kimura, 45, a former parachutist who now runs a firm helping former soldiers get civilian jobs.

Morale is "low", he said, due to "poor pay" and a "lack of ambition" on the part of the armed forces, whose role since World War II has been exclusively defensive in line with Japan's pacifist constitution. Many join up hoping to help during natural disasters, but are dismayed to find themselves doing military tasks. "Most soldiers weren't thinking at all about national defence (when they joined)," said Kohei Kondo, 25, a former sergeant.

'Not proud at all': Japan's army struggles to recruit