One-year volunteer system

The original conscription law exempted the ruling class, such as government officials, army and navy cadets, students of national technical schools and above, people studying abroad, and people studying medicine and veterinary medicine, as well as their successors, heads of families, heirs and grandchildren of successors, only children and grandchildren, people who governed their households in place of their parents, adopted children and other tax payers and their successors, and wealthy people who paid the 270 yen proxy fee, so the burden of military service fell on the second and third sons of the middle-class and lower peasant classes, and many of them avoided military service by becoming nominally adopted children. In 1879, the exemption was changed to a peacetime exemption, and the parent age of heirs and adopted children was set at 50 years old or older. In 1883, the proxy system was abolished, the exemption was changed to a deferred conscription exemption, the parent age of heirs and adopted children was changed to 60 years old or older, and a one-year volunteer military system was established. In 1889, with the establishment of the Constitution, the conscription law was significantly revised and made into law, the peacetime deferral of conscription was abolished, and the principle of universal conscription was established.

*Some of the terminology used in reference to the "One-Year Volunteer System" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　当初の徴兵令は，官吏，陸海軍生徒，官立専門学校以上の生徒，洋行修業中の者，医術獣医術を学ぶ者などの国家支配層とその後継者，一家の主人，嗣子および承祖の孫，独子独孫，父兄に代わって家を治める者，養子などの貢租負担者とその後継者，代人料270円を払った富裕者を免役としたので，兵役の負担は中以下の農民層の二･三男にかかり，名目的養子などで兵役を逃れる者も多かった。1879年の改正で免役に平時だけの免役が設置され，嗣子，養子などの親の年齢が50歳以上となり，83年の改正で代人制廃止，免役は徴集猶予に，嗣子などの親の年齢が60歳以上に改められ，1年志願兵制度が創設された。　1889年，憲法制定にともない徴兵令は大改正されて法律となり，平時徴集猶予は廃され国民皆兵の原則が確立された。…

※「１年志願兵制度」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報