SDF Struggling to Attract Personnel Despite Ballooning Duties

   Tokyo, July 1 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Self-Defense Forces, which marked 70 years since their establishment on Monday, are struggling to attract personnel despite having to handle a growing array of duties even in outer space and cyberworlds.
   In what is described as an "unprecedented severe security environment," the Defense Ministry plans to launch in the current fiscal year through next March a 240-member joint operations command for the Ground, Maritime and Air SDF.
   It will also beef up its defense posture in the Nansei Shoto southwestern islands including isles of Okinawa Prefecture in light of China's military expansion in southern seas, create a joint SDF maritime transport group, start satellite operations at the ASDF Space Operations Group, and strengthen the Cyber Defense Group, also the three forces' joint unit.
   Besides taking such new tasks, the SDF should carry out numerous conventional missions at a time when international drills and operations are increasing and their troops are put on duty almost regularly to cope with North Korea's missile tests.
   "We are required to simultaneously handle multiple situations, such as disaster relief and evacuation of Japanese nationals abroad," Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, SDF chief of staff, said.

(2024/07/01-21:43)

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