In an important event not long ago, the Japanese House of Councillors approved the budget for fiscal year 2023, of which the defense budget reached 6.82 trillion yen, equivalent to about 347.8 billion yuan, an increase of 26% over the previous fiscal year and a record high.
This increase in the defense budget has attracted widespread attention, especially the increase of 1.4 trillion yen is mainly for the purchase of US drones and missiles with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers. In addition, the budget also includes the planned F-35 fighter, as well as new air defense, anti-ship missiles and other weapons and equipment.
However, this increase in the military budget and the purchase of weapons and equipment have not only caused many doubts at home and abroad, accusing Japan of moving towards the old path of "using military force", but the deeper reasons are often ignored. In fact, Japan's Self-Defense Forces are facing a serious aging problem.
This aging problem is not just an isolated phenomenon, but affects the operation of the entire Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Take the "paratrooper" in the "special operation" branch as an example, this is a military branch with extremely high physical requirements for soldiers, especially skydiving has strict requirements for the heart function of soldiers. However, it may be hard to imagine that the maximum age of paratroopers in the Japan Self-Defense Forces has reached 51 years old in this extremely physically demanding branch! This makes people sigh that reality is far more peculiar than imagined.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the 51-year-old Japanese paratrooper veteran joined the paratrooper unit in 1986 and has been jumping for 32 years, and in the interview he said that he can continue to jump as long as he wants, and the Self-Defense Forces are very welcome. According to the survey, the proportion of members over the age of 41 in the Japan Self-Defense Forces is as high as 37%, far exceeding the proportion of members under the age of 25. This serious aging phenomenon is also a major problem for Japan's Self-Defense Forces in recruiting new soldiers.
The Wall Street Journal made a special comparison with the US military, and the comparison chart shows that the proportion of US troops over 41 years old is about 9%, while the proportion of people under 25 is as high as 44%, almost half of the total number. This contrast further highlights the aging of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
So, why is there such a serious aging phenomenon? On the one hand, Japan's Self-Defense Forces have relatively high salaries, and they enjoy a stable income and various subsidies and incentives after joining the Self-Defense Forces. For example, after joining the Self-Defense Forces, you can receive a monthly salary of nearly 11,000 yuan, as well as additional summer and winter subsidies, and a one-time subsidy after four years. For self-defense forces over the age of 50, the salary is as high as 25,000 yuan, and even enjoy additional subsidies for special military branches.
Such treatment is obviously quite attractive in Japanese society, especially for those in their fifties. Compared with the high wages and favorable treatment of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, the average salary of ordinary occupations in Japanese society is far from it. This creates a real problem: while joining the SDF leads to better treatment, the SDF is unable to attract enough young people to join the military.
Because of this, Japan's Self-Defense Forces are facing a serious shortage of personnel. In 2022, 9,245 SDF officers and soldiers were originally planned to be recruited, but only about 4,300 were actually recruited, which is the worst recruitment dilemma since 2009. In addition, the attrition rate of the Self-Defense Forces is also quite high, with more than 80% of people willing to serve only 1-2 terms, which further exacerbates the problem of recruitment.
To address the shortage of personnel, Japan's Self-Defense Forces have tried a variety of methods, including expanding the female workforce and introducing recruitment campaigns for life skills. However, these measures have not significantly changed the personnel situation of the Self-Defense Forces. After all, as Japan's overall population ages, the number of young people of military age has dropped significantly, making it increasingly difficult for the Self-Defense Forces to recruit talent.
Although Japan's Self-Defense Forces face many challenges in the aging of the country, it is worth noting that the comprehensive combat capability of the Self-Defense Forces has not been weakened. Despite their age, the veterans' extensive experience makes them more proficient in handling weapons and equipment, which is for the Self-Defense Forces
Comprehensive combat capability provides a certain guarantee. Japan's Self-Defense Forces are also gradually upgrading their weapons and equipment to meet the challenges of future wars. In fact, modern warfare is no longer a contest of numbers, but a contest of comprehensive combat capabilities, which makes the investment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces in technology and equipment crucial.
However, all this still cannot hide the dilemma posed by the shortage of personnel. Although Japan's Self-Defense Forces veterans are experienced, there is still a need for sufficient young soldiers to maintain the vitality and combat strength of the force. Moreover, there is also a risk of over-reliance on veterans, after all, as they age, their physical condition gradually declines and they can no longer be competent for high-intensity combat missions.
The challenges facing Japan's Self-Defense Forces are not only difficult recruitment, but also internal management. In recent years, the Self-Defense Forces have frequently exposed internal scandals, such as recruits being bullied, colluding internally and externally to steal military materials, and collective crimes, which have seriously affected the enthusiasm of young people to join the military. In addition, the problem of food has become one of the reasons why young people are deterred, and there are reports that the food of the Self-Defense Forces is too poor and even insufficient.
The problem of food for the SDF is not only reflected in the quality, but also in the distribution. There are reports that the food distribution of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces is too small, and there are even cases where members of the team have to take more food. This phenomenon not only affects the quality of life of the team members, but also affects their attitude and enthusiasm for the Self-Defense Forces to a certain extent.
In addition, there are problems with the management system within the Self-Defense Forces, such as excessive punishment for minor matters, which discourages some young people. For example, because of rubbing rice in the cafeteria, taking more food, and even being punished for excessive toilet paper use, this affects young people to a certain extent