No foreign soldiers: Japan shuts down proposal to fix military shortfall
- Posted on September 9, 2026
- By South China Morning Post
- 2 Views
- 1 min read
In brief
Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has rejected proposals to recruit foreign military personnel despite facing significant staffing challenges. Military projections indicate that personnel levels could decline to 130,000 by 2045, creating substantial gaps in defense capabilities. The government maintains its position against foreign soldiers in uniform, opting instead to explore alternative solutions to address Japan's armed forces recruitment crisis and sustain national security readiness.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.
No foreign soldiers: Japan shuts down proposal to fix military shortfall
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi rules out non-nationals in uniform, even as a report warns personnel levels could fall to 130,000 by 2045.
