Japan's Self Defence Forces Attracting More Civilian Trainee
- 13 years ago
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A small but growing number of Japanese are volunteering to be trained as military reservists. Successful trainees may be called on for guard duties, transporting supplies or disaster relief work.
Forty Japanese civilians took part in a special military training session held at Camp Takeyama. They are part of a small but growing number of civilians who are looking to sign up to join the Japanese military reserve force.
[...]
Trainees at Camp Takeyama say that their first impressions of the military have changed due to the tryouts.
[Masayuki Takeda, Provisional Self-Defense Force Trainee]:
"Since this job enables us to kill someone, I feel a big responsibility."
[Yusuke Tsuge, Self-Defense Forces Trainee]:
"To be honest, there is a gap. Since I work wearing casual clothing unlike many business people, wearing camouflage and holding a gun has a sobering effect on me."
If a trainee makes it as a reservist, he or she could be called on to guard army posts, transport supplies or help in rescue work for earthquakes, floods and other disasters.
Joining the reserve force is voluntary and full time reservists get a $49 monthly allowance in addition to about $100 a day for the five days of required service each year.
While military training is not particularly hard by normal standards, only one-third of the applicants eventually sign up.
Trainers say it still takes some amount of patriotism to stay the course for the first three years.
[1st Lt. Takeshi Ishibashi, Self-Defense Forces Trainer]:
"I believe that they can get over this training if they have love for their country and since they came here voluntarily."
Japan is keen to welcome even the tiny ten percent of reservist trainees that go on to join the military full-time.
Japan's pacifist constitution bans the maintenance of a military, although it has been stretched to allow armed forces for self-defense.
A small but growing number of Japanese are volunteering to be trained as military reservists. Successful trainees may be called on for guard duties, transporting supplies or disaster relief work.
Forty Japanese civilians took part in a special military training session held at Camp Takeyama. They are part of a small but growing number of civilians who are looking to sign up to join the Japanese military reserve force.
[...]
Trainees at Camp Takeyama say that their first impressions of the military have changed due to the tryouts.
[Masayuki Takeda, Provisional Self-Defense Force Trainee]:
"Since this job enables us to kill someone, I feel a big responsibility."
[Yusuke Tsuge, Self-Defense Forces Trainee]:
"To be honest, there is a gap. Since I work wearing casual clothing unlike many business people, wearing camouflage and holding a gun has a sobering effect on me."
If a trainee makes it as a reservist, he or she could be called on to guard army posts, transport supplies or help in rescue work for earthquakes, floods and other disasters.
Joining the reserve force is voluntary and full time reservists get a $49 monthly allowance in addition to about $100 a day for the five days of required service each year.
While military training is not particularly hard by normal standards, only one-third of the applicants eventually sign up.
Trainers say it still takes some amount of patriotism to stay the course for the first three years.
[1st Lt. Takeshi Ishibashi, Self-Defense Forces Trainer]:
"I believe that they can get over this training if they have love for their country and since they came here voluntarily."
Japan is keen to welcome even the tiny ten percent of reservist trainees that go on to join the military full-time.
Japan's pacifist constitution bans the maintenance of a military, although it has been stretched to allow armed forces for self-defense.