Japan’s military forces have long been revered by other countries for their extreme discipline and organization. Though Japan isn’t exactly held as a major military threat in the world, the country has certainly had its moments in history.
If you’re interested in knowing a little more about what “military” means to Japan, you’re in the right place. Take a moment to read through some interesting pieces of information, and start learning more today.
Know a little about Japan’s constitution
Japan’s constitution is actually set up in such a way that it forbids the traditional formation/operation of a military force. Their constitution was written in the 1940s just after the end of World War II, and the influence of America was manifested in Article Nine of the Japanese constitution.
Article Nine spoke in a very explicit way against the formation of a military force for any reason whatsoever. However, more lax forms of defense were permitted. Thus, the formation of the Self Defense Force (or SDF).
How the Self Defense Force (SDF) works
Japan’s Self Defense Force walks the line in the way that the force actually functions. Though the country isn’t permitted to have a normalized military force, their SDF is quite a formidable group.
The Self Defense Force has around 250,000 individuals involved, which is quite small compared to some of Japan’s neighbors. However, the force is sizable for the pacifist country. Japanese “soldiers” are also equipped with high quality firearms for protection and enforcement.
Japan is known as obsessively pacifist
Though Japan clearly does have a sort of military, the country is known to be an obsessively pacifist force. Japan even has a peace constitution publicly stating that the military is to be used strictly for defense.
Their schools have an ongoing pacifistic theme, and Japan has not lost one soldier to conflict since the formation of their force just after the ending of World War II.
The people aren’t fond of military bases
The locals aren’t always welcoming to Japan’s military forces. Locals will often hold firm on their resistance to sell their land, even if the military backs their base right up to the property line.
It’s a statement of peace, really. Farmers and other landowners would rather deal with the noise and visual disruption of military training than give up their land.
Budgeting for military defense
The financial state of the Japanese military is dire. For a decade, the funding for the Self Defense Force dropped.
The drop in funding is often related to the strain of industrialization on the country. The public debt of Japan grows exponentially most years, and there’s simply not enough funding to divert to a large military force.
