Child soldier - Shounenhei

Japanese: 少年兵 - しょうねんへい

The mobilization of underage boys as soldiers was seen in the Nazis' Berlin Defense Boys' Unit during World War II, but Japan also recruited a large number of boys for various roles during the Pacific War. The Navy had already established the Naval Aviation Headquarters and in 1930 adopted the Preparatory Flight Training System (Yokaren) as one of the military branches for naval volunteers, educating boys who had graduated from high school for three years to train them as boy pilots. This Yokaren system was expanded and improved in 1937, and during the Pacific War, a large number of boys were recruited and mobilized for kamikaze attacks.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

未成年の少年を兵員として動員するのは，第2次大戦中のナチスによるベルリン防衛少年隊などの例があるが，日本でも太平洋戦争中，各種の少年兵が大量に募集された。すでに海軍は海軍航空本部の設置をうけて，1930年海軍志願兵の兵種の一つとして，飛行予科練習制度(予科練)を採用し，高等小学校卒業程度の少年を3年間教育して少年飛行兵を育成することにした。この予科練制度は37年に拡大･整備され，太平洋戦争中には大規模に募集され，特攻攻撃に動員された。

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

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