Hello and welcome to the history of Japan podcast, episode 453, The Waves are high, but the day is clear, part two.

Last week, we covered the circumstances that led to the creation of Japan's maritime

self-defense forces in 1954.

We also covered the reasons why, despite having some of the most experienced veterans in the self-defense forces,

the JMSDF was initially considered to be the lowest priority branch of the SDF.

To be fair, of course, the self-defense forces in general were not considered a particularly high priority item for the immediate post-war governments,

best symbolized by the fact that the civilian agency managing them, the defense agency,

was ranked as an agency rather than a full bureaucratic ministry, like finance, foreign affairs,

international commerce and industry, and the like.

Of course, defense affairs in general

were rather politically radioactive. After all, that's what in the end the U.S.-Japan mutual

security treaty was about, and that treaty had been the catalyst for the largest protests in

Japanese history, admittedly amplified somewhat by the haughty behavior of then Prime

Minister Kishinobuske.

But even when defense issues were not divisive, they were not popular, a fact best evidence

to buy how much of a challenge the early SDF had with basic things like recruiting.

Well, early in the 50s, the service had little trouble filling out their ranks.

The country was so economically depressed that people were happy to take any job they could get.

By the 60s, the lower ranks in particular were constantly short of recruitment targets.

After all, in the age of rapid economic growth, who would want to serve as an enlisted sailor

when you could go to college, find a good union job, and have a solid shot at lifetime employment?

But now, almost 80 years into the post-war era, the landscape looks a little different.

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