Report on Japanese Military Power 2012 (6)

II. Military Strength

According to statistics released by Japanese Ministry of Defense website, at the end of FY2012, the JSDF has an authorized strength of 255,347 personnel (including 8,175 ready reserve personnel). Specifically, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) has an authorized strength of 151,063 personnel with an effective strength of 140,028; the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has an authorized strength of 45,517 personnel with an effective strength of 41,937; the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has an authorized strength of 47,097 personnel with an effective strength of 43,195; the Combined Task Force (composed of SDF Intelligence Security Command and SDF C4 Systems Command) has an authorized strength of 1,227 personnel, the authorized number of personnel of the Joint Staff and the Intelligence Headquarters is respectively 361 and 1,907. The establishment of the Ready Reserve is 8,175 personnel, and that of the Reserve is 47,900 personnel.

Compared with FY 2011, there are minor adjustments in terms of the established strength of the JSDF. The total establishment was reduced from 247,446 in FY 2011 to 247,172 in FY2012. To be specific, the authorized strength of the Ready Reserve was reduced from 8,479 in FY2011 to 8,175 in FY2012, the JGSDF was reduced by 578 personnel from 159,816 in FY2011 to 159,238 in FY2012. The authorized strength of the JMSDF, the Combined Task Force, the Joint Staff and the Intelligence Headquarters remains unchanged.

The adjustments detailed above are in line with the 2010 NDPG which aims at streamlining JSDF force structure. The reforms include downsizing the active component and raising the ratio of Ready Reserve in the total force, thus making the JSDF smaller but faster, more efficient and mobile.

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