Japan: Defense forces works to stem falling enrollment

Last 5 years show fewer people joining Japan's defense forces, also reflecting country's falling birth rate

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Amid falling enrollment in the nation’s defense forces, Japan is mulling measures to attract more people to its ranks, local media reported on Tuesday.

Defense Ministry data said since 2014 the number of people joining Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) has fallen for five straight years, the Japan Times reported.

To tackle the growing problem, the ministry is considering pay hikes for the defense forces.

“The ministry aims to narrow the wage gap between SDF members and police officers in a bid to lure more applicants to the SDF,” said the Japan Times.

Also, amid the boom in Japan’s economy in recent years, many people have left jobs in the defense forces and joined the private sector.

“The decline [in joining the defense forces] also reflected the county’s falling birthrate,” the report added.

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