Inexperienced SDF officers are "ready-to-standby SDF personnel" 4 people have finished training 23:40 on July 3

While the number of tasks such as responding to China and North Korea has increased, it has become more difficult for the SDF to secure human resources due to the effects of population decline. Under such circumstances, even those who have never experienced SDF came to be recruited as an “immediate reserve SDF” who was convened in the event of an emergency and was assigned to the task of the first line unit, and the training required for volunteers for the first time Has completed.

Four people who volunteered as "immediate reserve SDF personnel" participated in the training held at Tagajo Camp in Miyagi Prefecture for up to one day.

While working at companies and other organizations, the reserve SDF personnel who are called in the event of an emergency or disaster are the “ready-to-self-defense officers” who are the first-line units of the Ground Self-Defense Force, and the “reserve SDF officers” who provide logistic support. there is.

Of these, the adoption of “ready-to-self-defense personnel” was limited to former self-defense officers, but the Ministry of Defense last year, in order to secure human resources, even people who have no experience with self-defense officers will be able to get ready I reviewed it so that it can be adopted as a government official.

The four people usually work in the fields of manufacturing and forestry, and have completed the 36-day training necessary to become a ready SDF, such as shooting with a rifle.

In the future, when the appointment was issued in September and officially adopted by the SDF personnel who responded promptly, they were required to participate in training for 30 days a year, and in the event of an emergency or disaster, the You will be tasked with the line.

Expanding duties in a difficult recruiting environment

The shortage of manpower has spread to the entire SDF.

Among the Self-Defense Forces, the recruitment of “Self-Defense Force candidate” who will be the term-based SDF personnel who play a central role in the field has fallen short of the plan for the sixth consecutive year.

In light of the severe hiring environment, the Ministry of Defense has raised the upper age limit for hiring "SDF candidates" and others, and raised it from 26 to 32.

However, the population of people aged 18 to 32 who will be hired will decrease sharply in the future, compared with 2018, 3.18 million people will decrease 20 years later, or about a 17% decrease. It is estimated to decrease by %.

The Ministry of Defense says that due to such a decrease in the population and higher education, the recruitment environment for SDF personnel will become even more severe in the future.

On the other hand, the mission of the Self-Defense Forces is increasing.

Against the backdrop of the launch of ballistic missiles by North Korea, which has been intensifying again since last year, and the Chinese Navy's active expansion into the sea, Aegis ships and others are under continuous vigilance.

In addition, new missions such as dispatching JMSDF escort vessels to the Middle East region are gathering new information in order to collect information for ensuring the safety of vessels related to Japan.

In addition, the number of SDF scrambles/emergency launches for aircraft of unknown nationality that may cause invasion of territorial air has become the third highest in the past year, mainly in response to Chinese aircraft.

A number of disaster relief workers were dispatched one after another. In the previous year, a total of 449 members were active, totaling 1.06 million people, exceeding 1 million for the second consecutive year.

Of these, during last year's typhoon Nos. 15 and 19, 10% of the training planned during the period, approximately 300 were canceled, reduced, or postponed.

Furthermore, the diversification, lengthening, and large scale of disaster dispatching are affecting the site, including the voluntary dispatch of personnel for medical support on cruise ships that have been confirmed to be infected by the new coronavirus.

Volunteer to see the appearance of SDF personnel dispatched by the Great East Japan Earthquake

One applicant, Yuya Morishita (39), usually works for a machine parts assembly company in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture.

I like to move around, and on weekdays, I'm busy going around the factory of three companies, and on holidays, I look forward to taking children aged 7 and 5 to the park.

Mr. Morishita volunteered to become a SDF reserve officer immediately because of the appearance of the SDF personnel involved in disaster dispatch activities following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Mr. Morishita said, "I thought it was amazing to hear the story of the SDF personnel who responded to the disaster even though I was still affected. I want to reverse that I would be happy if I could have such a thing done." I told you.

On the other hand, the SDF personnel respond to the same duties as the active SDF officers on the front line if they are convened during an emergency, not just in the event of a disaster.

In this training as well, we will practice the actual battle such as shooting while approaching the opponent's position with a slight forward movement, training to stop bleeding by himself when injured, training to save the shot member with first aid and first aid The expected movement was repeated.

Morishita said, "It was certain that we would do this far, unlike what we see on TV. Even if we knew that we would have to improve our skills, when we actually came to the scene, I have a feeling that I can do it. Even if I return to the company, I think I should be able to train my physical strength.”

Serious labor shortage in the background

There is a serious shortage of manpower behind the expansion of the hiring of SDF personnel to those who have no experience as SDF personnel.

The number of ready SDF personnel is about 8,000, but the satisfaction rate has decreased year by year, and it was only half that of 53% last year.

It has been pointed out that the background is that it is difficult to balance the usual work with the training that requires participation for 30 days a year, and it is not easy to secure human resources.

Against this backdrop, we are intensifying our efforts to secure a wide range of human resources.

In February of this year, the SDF officer invited as a lecturer at a lecture by a group of electrical contractors held in Tokyo introduced a system of immediate response SDF personnel apart from the theme of safety management.

Among them, while showing the results of disaster dispatch, he emphasized that the specialized knowledge and skills of the SDF personnel cultivated in the private sector are useful for activities.

Lecturer Jun Takahashi, who gave the lecture, said, "Because the system of reserve Self-Defense Forces cannot be established without the understanding of the company, we are focusing on that."

Expert "It's time to pick and choose duties"

Professor Tadao Sato of Takushoku University, who is familiar with security policy, points out that when considering future security strategies, it is necessary to discuss the balance between duties and human resources.

Among these, Professor Sato said, "Social changes are rapid and changes in the security environment are progressing rapidly, so the SDF is in a change that it has never experienced." I am.

He added, “The more the SDF increases the number of tasks, the more the budget and personnel will be exhausted. I think it is certain that the task of the SDF will have to make choices.”

On that basis, he points out that the future task of the SDF will be "I think it depends on how much the people demand from the SDF, and there is a time when broad national discussion including the Diet is necessary". ..

Based on the discussions over the review of the security strategy due to the abandonment of the deployment of Aegis Ashore, ``If a new security strategy can be created, the optimal allocation of human resources of the Self-Defense Forces will be included in that strategy. I want you to think about it."