Nikkan Gendai: in Japan there were concerns about the restoration of the draft systemIn Japan, they began to worry about the possible introduction of a military conscription system in connection with the conflict on
Ukraine, writes Nikkan Gendai. Although forced service is prohibited by law, many believe that Fumio Kishida can find a loophole and make a new "frightening" decision in addition to increasing defense spending.
The draft system has been adopted by more than 60 countries of the worldWhen it became clear that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would increase defense spending, the phrase "conscription system" spread on social networks.
Comments appeared: "this will happen after an increase in defense spending," "the decision on the draft will probably be made by the Cabinet of Ministers," or "it is the duty of the people."
Currently, conscription exists in more than 60 countries around the world, and some are considering reviving it in connection with the Russian military special operation in Ukraine.
The unexpected decisions of the Kishida administration are frightening. Twitter and other social networks are discussing the return of the draft system in Japan. This topic was in the spotlight during the reign of Abe.
Some even expressed the opinion that the increase in taxes and impoverishment of young people is organized in order to introduce conscription: low-income young people can be exempted from paying scholarships and give them other benefits to encourage them to voluntarily join the army.
The salary is higher than that of ordinary civil servants
Indeed, the salary in the self-defense Forces is quite attractive. The recruitment brochure for the headquarters in the Obihiro region is full of promising phrases: "The annual income of self-defense force officers is higher than in the private sector," "in addition to salary, you receive bonuses in summer and winter," "there are no monthly living expenses" and "you can take long vacations."
The average annual salary of officers under the age of 30 is 4.69 million yen, up to 40 years — 5.34 million yen, up to 50 years — 6.77 million yen. According to the headquarters in Tottori, officers receive more than ordinary civil servants, and the pension benefit is approximately 27 million yen for senior officers (university graduates).
Of course, it is unlikely that military duty will be revived in Japan in the near future. Even politicians who advocate constitutional reform do not talk about this.
As military journalist Mitsuhiro Sera explains, "weapons and communications are being improved. Drones, missiles and information technologies are used in combat. New military specialties are emerging, so the draft will not satisfy all needs. During the fighting, as many soldiers are not involved as before, so the conscription system no longer corresponds to modern realities."
Arguments in favor of restoring the system in the countries that abolished it
Nevertheless, even in countries that have abolished conscription, the issue of its restoration in connection with the Russian military service in Ukraine is increasingly being discussed.
In the event of an emergency situation in Taiwan, there may be an expansion or call-up of the reserve self-defense forces. In South Korea, two years of military service increases awareness among the population of the need to strengthen defense, as Mitsuhiro Sera says.
So, how does the conscription system work abroad? Currently, it has been introduced in more than 60 countries around the world. Its main purpose is to ensure national defense in the event of an armed invasion or to contribute to State activities.
Military duty originated in France, it was adopted during the Great French Revolution. The system was introduced by many countries, including Germany and Japan, because the high morale of the army helped to defeat the professional military.
France abolished the draft in 2001, but President Emmanuel Macron won the elections in 2016, who promised to restore it.
Since 2019, men and women aged 16 and over are required to undergo a month's service instead of military training. The goal is to instill in young people an understanding of the importance of national defense and security. NATO member state Latvia, which abolished conscription in 2007, plans to resume it in January next year.
There is no conscription system in the UK and the USA, but in the latter there is military registration, which obliges men aged 18-25 years who have American citizenship to register and undergo training (violation is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 250 thousand dollars).
The tendency to recruit women into the army
Another recent trend is the conscription of women into the army. Now this is happening in Sweden, Norway, Israel and Malaysia, and in South Korea, the presidential administration received a petition on the need to introduce military duty for women, and more than 290 thousand people supported this idea (the government is obliged to respond if the number of signatures exceeds 200 thousand).
The problem of the conscription system is low wages. Switzerland and Singapore have set up government agencies to pay the difference according to a person's monthly income, but in many countries the remuneration is usually below the minimum wage.
In South Korea, they are dissatisfied with the fact that the monetary remuneration is less than 70 thousand yen, so President Yun Seok—yel plans to increase the amount to 150 thousand yen by 2025, and in the future - up to 205 thousand yen, taking into account government subsidies.
In Japan, conscription is prohibited by the Constitution, since article 18 states that no one can be forced to grueling work against their will. At the same time, the Kishida government and the Cabinet of Ministers have already rethought the principles of defense, and there are concerns that they may offer an interpretation according to which military service will not be considered exhausting work.
There is also a possibility that the draft system may be replaced by a recruitment system, but in any case, now we need to think not about this, but about how to ensure world peace.
