Japan Pulling Out All Stops to Boost SDF Hiring

Tokyo, Sept. 2 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Defense Ministry is pulling out all policy stops to increase the number of Self-Defense Forces personnel after persistently failing to meet its recruitment targets.

The ministry has put together extensive measures to increase the number of SDF personnel amid a decline in the appeal of SDF jobs and plans to earmark necessary funds in its budget request for fiscal 2025, which starts next April.

Aiming to make the SDF more attractive to young people, the ministry will focus on improving working environments and benefits of SDF personnel, including by promoting the use of laborsaving technologies and unmanned equipment.

The effectiveness of these measures, however, remains uncertain, as the SDF's image has been battered due to a series of scandals recently.

"We are facing a difficult recruiting environment," Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said at a meeting Friday, stressing his ministry's intention to steadily implement the measures.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]