Military age 18 to 27 years of age | Active personnel 239,000 (ranked 24th) | |
 | ||
Service branches Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Japan Air Self-Defense Force Available for
military service 27,003,112 males, age 18–49 (2005 est.),
26,153,482 females, age 18–49 (2005 est.) Fit for
military service 22,234,663 males, age 18–49 (2005 est.),
21,494,947 females, age 18–49 (2005 est.) Reaching military
age annually 683,147 males (2005 est.),
650,157 females (2005 est.) | ||
After the end of World War II in Asia following the surrender of Japan, the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy were dissolved by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers during the occupation of Japan. The symbols below represent the ranks of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force which have, since 1952, replaced the imperial military. The 1938–1945 Japanese military and naval ranks were phased out after World War II. The self-defense force breaks away from the Sino-centric tradition of non-branch-specified ranks, each SDF rank with respect to each service carries a distinct Japanese title, although equivalent titles in different branches are still similar, differing only in the use of the morphemes riku (ground) for the army ranks, kai (sea) for the naval ranks, and kuu (air) for the aviation ranks.
Contents
The pentagramic stars on some insignia represent cherry blossoms. Because Japanese soldiers take an oath to die to protect the lives and wealth of Japanese citizens, they have been compared to delicate cherry blossoms that break easily.
Ground self-defense force
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.
Maritime self-defense force
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.
Air self-defense force
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.