Why Doesn't Japan Have An Army?

 

You might be surprised after reading this question. But yes it’s true that Japan doesn’t have an operational forced army.

In this article we are going to tell you the primary reason & the story behind this. This short article will answer - why doesn't Japan have an army?

 

After World War II

On September 2, 1945, the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mamoru Shigemitsu, signed the surrender of the Japanese country, given the inability of its army to face the counterattack of the Allied countries at the end of World War II.

 

The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in August of the same year, had annulled any possibility of continuing to resist after four years of war.

 

A Pacifist Constitution

With this document, the United States, through its War Department, «forced» the Asian country to acquire a pacifist constitution; that is, Japan promised never again to have an Army, declare war or apply an offensive policy.

 

WO Masanobu Murawaki, Sgt. Maj. of the JGSDF toured Sagami General Depot’s Training Support Center and observed ESB medical lane testing with USARJ CSM Dodson. ESB 12-Mile Ruck March happens tomorrow. #USArmy #Readiness #Lethality #TrainedAndReady@USARJ_PA @USARPAC @JGSDF_pr pic.twitter.com/xXgrAkqZJP

— U.S. Army Japan (@USARJ_PAO) April 21, 2022

Under US Supervision

However, despite the fact that after seven decades this regulation is still in force and that, in accordance with article 9 of the Japanese Magna Carta.

Japan can only act in case of strict self-defense, it does have an armed body ― supervised by the US―composed of 250,000 “civil servants” for its land, sea and air defense, to the extent that they have better and larger weapons than nations like South Africa, Iraq or Saudi Arabia.

On the other hand, the United States maintains military bases throughout Japan.

 

Military service for any of these forces lasts three years, while the training time for professionals is four to six years, especially to serve as a military doctor. Upon completion, graduates can leave the "armed forces" if they prefer to join another civilian activity.