The cover of this year's Japan Defense Ministry white paper features manga characters created by illustrator Honoka Yoshifuku, known for collaborations with brands such as Converse, Vans, Fila and Reebok. (Japan Ministry of Defense)
TOKYO — Japan’s Defense Ministry acknowledged it failed to meet recruitment goals for the Self-Defense Forces in recent years, as the country seeks to bolster its military amid growing threats from China, North Korea and Russia, according to an annual white paper released Tuesday.
The Self-Defense Forces recruited about 10,000 personnel in each of the past two fiscal years, falling short of targets by nearly 10%, the paper said.
“Despite positive perceptions of the Self-Defense Force, recruiting [Japan Self-Defense Force] personnel is in a difficult situation,” the paper states.
Japan has approximately 250,000 active Self-Defense Force members, according to the ministry’s website. However, officials have struggled to meet recruitment goals in the face of a declining birthrate and a series of misconduct scandals involving abuse of power and sexual harassment.
As a result, the ministry is stepping up efforts to strengthen its personnel base, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani wrote in the paper’s introduction.
Japan’s military must improve conditions for its service members, the paper states, by enhancing work-life balance and helping troops develop “new life plans” as they carry out their duty to protect the nation’s peace and independence.
This year’s white paper includes illustrations aimed at attracting younger recruits to the Air Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces. The cover features manga characters, including a slender sailor, smiling soldier and female aviator, created by illustrator Honoka Yoshifuku, known for collaborations with brands such as Converse, Vans, Fila and Reebok.
“She is an artist who has received tremendous support both in Japan and overseas for her retro-pop touch that evokes nostalgia,” the paper states.
The ministry and Self-Defense Forces are organizations where people matter and can make a difference, Nakatani said in the paper.
“Each and every SDF personnel constitutes the greatest pillar of our defense capability,” he wrote.
Japan’s recruitment push comes amid what the ministry describes as one of the most complex security environments since World War II.
China continues to expand its military capabilities and assertive activities in the East China Sea, including near Japan’s Senkaku Islands, the paper notes. North Korea has advanced its arsenal of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction. Russia remains engaged in its war in Ukraine and has intensified military activities near Japan’s northern territories, known in Russia has the Kuril Islands. It also conducts joint maritime patrols with China.
In December, Japan’s Cabinet approved a record defense budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1, a part of a plan to increase military spending to 2% of gross domestic product by 2027.
The country is in its 13th consecutive year of defense budget increases, with a 9.7$ jump planned for fiscal 2026, bringing total spending to $5.4 billion, up from $50.1 billion this year. Spending is projected to rise to $56.1 billion by fiscal 2027.
Meanwhile, NATO member states recently agreed to raise their defense spending target to 5% of GDP, and U.S. officials have urged Japan to shoulder more responsibility for regional security.
On March 30, Defense Security Pete Hegseth announced the first phase of a restructuring of U.S. Forces Japan, shifting from a liaison role to a more integrated operational command.
