When the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan¡¯s (CDP) Chikage Koga said that volunteers enlisting in the Self-Defense Forces are economically disadvantaged, she rekindled a long-standing debate over the SDF¡¯s characterizations in political discourse?¡ª exposing a widening gap between public support and the political debates that continue to shape Japan¡¯s civil-military relations.
The most recent episode came on Monday during an Upper House Budget Committee session when the CDP lawmaker declared that ¡°Children who join the Self-Defense Forces are economically challenged.¡± She added, ¡°Children who are well off don¡¯t join the Self-Defense Forces.¡±
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi responded immediately by labeling her comments as ¡°completely untrue.¡± He added that her comments were ¡°prejudiced and unacceptable.¡±
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