Japan’s Defense Ministry reached less than 50% of its recruitment target for its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in fiscal year 2022, by far the lowest performance on record, Nikkei reported.
The SDF reportedly only added about 4,300 members, roughly 46% of its goal of 9,245. The previous low was set in fiscal year 2018, when the SDF only hit 72% of its recruitment goal.
Despite increased public support for more defense spending in 🇯🇵, a key obstacle for the buildup is a lack of people: The Self Defense Forces reached less than half of their recruitman goal in 2022 – well below the previous low of 72% set in 2018. /1 https://t.co/D3NBqqaBBR
— Alexandra Sakaki (@SakakiAlexandra) April 19, 2023
Officials within the Defense Ministry believe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine along with increased sabre-rattling by China toward Taiwan are contributing to a hesitancy to join the SDF, according to Nikkei. The SDF is also failing to increase salaries as fast as many competing private businesses.
The year of 2022 was only the second since 2009 the SDF has failed to reach at least 80% of its recruitment goal. (RELATED: North Korea Issues Explosive Response To US Bomber Drills)
The U.S. has a security guarantee with Japan, in which the U.S. is required to come to Japan’s defense if it is attacked by a third nation. In return, Japan allows the United States to station troops in its territory. More American troops are stationed in Japan than in any other foreign country.
Japanese officials have spoken in recent years of beefing up the country’s own defense posture in response to increasing aggression from China and North Korea. President Joe Biden made his first visit to Japan since taking the White House in May 2022.