Japan's Self-Defense Forces secured a record-low 51 percent of its recruitment goal in fiscal 2023, the Defense Ministry said Monday, as competition with the private sector to secure personnel has intensified amid the nation's chronic labor shortage.
In the fiscal year through March, the SDF took in 9,959 new members, far short of the 19,598 it targeted. At 51 percent of the goal, the recruitment fell below the previous low of 56 percent in fiscal 1993 to mark the worst result since the SDF's establishment in 1954, the ministry said.
The data was revealed at the inaugural meeting of a ministry committee tasked with discussing ways to address the SDF personnel shortage.
The committee is considering measures such as improving wages and working conditions to overcome the recruitment shortfall, as well as looking at increasing efficiencies through the use of artificial intelligence and utilizing more retired service members.
Japan aims to boost its defense capacity under the government's long-term National Security Strategy policy guidelines, which were updated in late 2022 to deal with increasingly severe security challenges posed by China, North Korea and Russia.
But the SDF has been struggling to meet its higher recruitment target due to a decline in applicants as the nation faces a chronic labor shortage attributed to the aging, shrinking population and low birthrate.
The job availability ratio for high school graduates in Japan, whom the ministry mainly recruits as cadets, has remained at high levels recently, increasing competition between the SDF and companies that are hoping to attract young people, a ministry official said.
The recruitment rate stood at 94 percent in fiscal 2021 but tumbled to 66 percent in fiscal 2022.
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said at a press conference on Friday that the recruitment problem is likely to be ongoing for the SDF.
The committee will release a report related to the SDF personnel shortage in late August after holding several meetings. The ministry said it will request recruitment budgets for fiscal 2025 based on the report.
© KYODO
35 Comments
deanzaZZR
Which should surprise no one. Filipino recruit to citizen option? What do you thinK, Isabella?
MiuraAnjin
Not just Japan. The US has its smallest military in 80 years and the Royal Navy is decommissioning ships, not due to budget cuts, but because it doesn't have enough sailors to crew them.
Time to invest in drones.
deanzaZZR
Counterpoint, invest in peace not war.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Excellent idea. When can China begin?
Sven Asai
Well, with low birth rates around 1 or below it's surely becoming more and more difficult to recruit anyone. Anyway, the solution is very easy. Give every citizen some nice equipment and a training course. Even some well equipped seniors can pick out one or another intruder from their senior residence's windows, if they have some nice sniper guns or heavy machine guns installed. So it's not a problem of recruitment, but only of defense means distribution.
Aoi Azuuri
Japan's pro-LDP media repeat "Japanese young generation support LDP" but person who become member of SDF are decreasing. Even recruiting middle age is planned.
Fundamentally, present Japan where victimize social security or even public health despite expansion of poverty has no power to thrust arms race, It's actuality that "military deterrent to defend people" killing people day by day.
BertieWooster
How about spending the taxpayers hard earned money on something peaceful that actually benefits society? The arms race and the military only benefit the arms manufacturers. They don't do anything for us.
ian
They just signed a defense pact with the Philippines maybe they could work out something more
Meiyouwenti
Maybe it’s time to establish a foreign legion and recruit personnel from other Asian countries. The big question is, if war breaks out between Japan and China, will Chinese legionaries fight against the country of their origin.
deanzaZZR
沒有問題 where do these self-hating Chinese armies come from, Singapore, Malaysia? Even when China was poor patriotism and pride in China was strong. If you spent any time in China you would understand.
sakurasuki
Current Japan solution for labor or personnel shortage, create new category of visa. Then let Vietnamese come to Japan. However for military position unfortunately that won't be possible by now.
Ramsey's Kitchen
Current Japan solution for labor or personnel shortage, create new category of visa. Then let Vietnamese come to Japan
Problem is less and less Vietnamese are interested in coming to declining Japan while Vietnamese economy and wages continue growing. Give it another 5 years and there will be no Vietnamese takers, same as Chinese nowadays. Japan continues it's downward slide.
Mr Kipling
Easy solution..
Pay more.
リッチ
Japan should do 18-20 subscription of all women and men to toughen them up like Singapore. The new generations have been babied their entire lives.
Speed
It's become a buyer's market. That's the reality. The solution, not only for the military but also for many companies is to put up more money.
If I were young, I'd consider joining the JSDF, but only if the wages were MUCH HIGHER.
For example, a private in the JSDF only makes about 16,000 yen/month. Plus, if he lives on base, he still has to pay rent.
On the other hand, a US private makes about $2,100/month (31,000 yen) w/ fully subsidized on base housing.
Japan's military has blasted their budgets for insanely expensive military hardware but hasn't budged on funding their soldiers better. You're not going to get many people this way.
Speed
Sorry, the above should read 160,000 yen/month and *310,000 yen/month**.
John
Pay them more and stop sexually harassing women recruits.
Alongfortheride
I would say the data is fudged to support Kashidas secret fantasy of wanting to take Japan to war. I know I will get down voted but please remember this day in 3 or 4 years from now if Kashida stays in power. I'll be coming back to say "I told you so" Kashida is not so much different from Kim , they both have the fantasy of war. I do not trust him
tora
Code for: the robots are coming.
Alongfortheride
To the people who are down voting my comment above: Ask your self this 1 thing, if you have TRILLIONS of spare yen in your bank account and you are in control of the country what would you spend it on? Military equipment? OR supporting the elderly who are murdering each other because they have no support when they get old with illnesses? (the same people who paid taxes for 50 working years) OR supporting the young couples who are willing to help with the low birth rate in Japan? Japan has almost zero elderly care support and even LESS support to young couples wanting to have a family. Japan has a signed agreement with the USA on support military wise yet this current clown Kashida has welshed on Japans commitment to never be the aggressor for a military conflict.
Peter Neil
SpeedToday 07:37 pm JST
the conversion is irrelevant since neither is exchanging currency.
direct comparisons between the two is like david and goliath because of the massive scale of the us military, and the us military can’t meet recruiting goals either. the us spends about 3% of gdp and japan is approaching 2%.
the us military budget is 12 times that of japan, but us gdp is 4 times that of japan.
no doubt the perks and benefits for the sdf are pathetic, but japan also pays that sympathy budget to the us instead of to its own forces.
ground forces are not that important for japan, since it isn’t trying to be a world police force.
smithinjapan
Not sure why anyone's surprised... there isn't a population to support the military and no one wants to have kids because of the massive money that goes into the military instead of into support for having kids and raising a family. Heck, they could restart military conscription tomorrow and still fall way short of the target.
/dev/random
Who is this "Kashida" you keep speaking of?
Samit Basu
Restoration of conscription is inevitable, that's the only way.
Japan cannot defend itself with an armed police alone, needs a real military to keep up with its neighbors seeking vengeance.
Saitou Yuu
1st priority to far east countries facing aging is military expansion, it's very stupid and barren.
TaiwanIsNotChina
1.2% of Japan's gdp goes into the military. Not sure how it could be less massive.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Japan's sympathy payment is 3% of its military spending and far less than it costs.
TokyoLiving
People is less interested in silly militia..
TokyoLiving
The greatest warmongers in the world, good old US, are the ones who should start..
Like it or not..
Abe234
You need to offer more than just earthquake training. Advertise for recruits on the TV, Radio, internet highlighting trades, skills, and personal benefits. Increase relationships with allies. Eg try and set up places /postings in other countries. One great reason to join up is seeing the world. Six month posting to train in the US, Canada. Australia, UK, Not just signing but of paper for business co-operation. Obviously the navy get to travel but setting up a base with allies eg US, could encourage younger people to join up. Certainly not gonna solve it, but it’s all about meeting the needs of new generation. Highlight professional qualifications eg medical fields, electronics, drivers, computer experts, clerks, mechanics, cooks, all jobs done by soldiers. Telling young people you don’t have to go to uni, or become a salary man,you don’t have to get a part time job, you can have a career. Tell them about the friends they’ll make for life, the sports, adventure training. Not to mention the ability to be independent from mum and dad. Maybe even point out after so many years you could get help to go to college if you so wish. They aren’t interested in it because they don’t see much more than what’s on the news. Knew a young man who joined the Japanese Navy, and another as a helicopter pilot. Kudos to them.
Agent_Neo
China is a country that does not expand its military or engage in acts of aggression, and does not cause territorial disputes with Japan such as the Senkaku Islands.
Russia is a country that would not engage in the Cold War or invade Afghanistan, and does not cause territorial disputes with Japan such as the Northern Territories.
North Korea is a country that would not develop nuclear weapons or abduct Japanese citizens.
South Korea is a country that would not invade Takeshima.
If the countries surrounding Japan were decent countries, there would be no need for Japan to increase its defense spending, but unfortunately there are no decent countries around Japan.
GuruMick
Abe above...re; the chance of overseas posting to draw more recruits.
I remember a T Shirt in London from the 70's that said.
"Join the Army
Travel the world
Meet new people
and kill them "
deanzaZZR
Directly related. Remember when Japan made its 2% of GDP plan and assumed the yen/dollar rate would be 108 yen to a USA dollar? How is that assumption working for you Kish & Co?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/08/business/japan-yen-defense-spending.html
GuruMick
"Conscription " doesnt guarantee security.
Look at Israel.
IDF cant defeat an urban militia.
Japan can offer first rate "bento " for it's soldiers.
Surely a source /sauce of pride to the Japanese and a source of envy to any adversaries.
kurisupisu
Soon, if not now, it is possible to wage a war whilst sitting in a darkened room in anyplace.
Destruction doesn’t depend on soldiers diggin in, on a hillside.
It depends on ‘tech’, low or high wins wars these days.