Reference News Network August 5 report: According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, the review ceremony held annually by the three branches of the Self-Defense Forces - the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces - will no longer be conducted. This decision was mainly made due to the increasingly severe security environment Japan faces and the growing workload of the Self-Defense Forces, leading to a serious shortage of frontline personnel.
The Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces suddenly announced on July 30 that they would no longer hold review ceremonies and other events. In fact, internal discussions on this matter had been going on for more than six months.
"With the increase in domestic and international training and deployment missions, the Maritime Self-Defense Force's ship review may find it difficult to continue as before," said Takata Kazuo, then vice minister of defense, to Defense Minister Nakatani Haruhiko earlier this year.
Subsequently, Yoshida Keiichi, Chief of the Joint Staff, also joined the relevant discussions. Finally, Nakatani confirmed the opinions of the chiefs of staff of the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces and decided to cancel such events. At a press conference on August 1, Nakatani stated, "It is very difficult to hold review ceremonies every year to ensure an unshakable defense system."
According to reports, as of the end of fiscal year 2024, the staffing rate of the Self-Defense Forces was only 89.1%, the first time in a quarter of a century that it has fallen below 90%. A total of 9,724 new members were recruited that year, only 65% of the planned recruitment rate. The recruitment rate for enlisted personnel was even lower at 60.7%. A defense ministry official said that the declining birth rate and aging population have made "it especially difficult for us to recruit young people." (Translated by Liu Lin)
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