Reserve Self-Defense Forces Officer

Retired SDF personnel who are obligated to serve in the event of a defense mobilization. Volunteers are recruited from among retired SDF personnel. The term of service is three years, and reappointment is possible. Up to the rank of sergeant, the age must be under 37, and for the ranks of sergeant and lieutenant, the age must be under the retirement age plus two years. As of the end of fiscal year 2003, there were 46,000 SDF personnel, 1,100 Navy personnel, and 800 Air Force personnel. Since March 1995, female SDF personnel have also been recruited on a voluntary basis. SDF personnel are obligated to submit various notifications to clarify their current status, such as changes of address, mental and physical disabilities, whereabouts, and death. In the event of a defense mobilization, they will serve as SDF personnel after responding to a defense mobilization order (violators of orders will be sentenced to imprisonment or incarceration for up to three years). In peacetime, they will respond to training mobilization and engage in training for a specified period of time, up to 20 days per year. They will be paid a reserve SDF member allowance (4,000 yen per month) and a training mobilization allowance (8,100 yen per day) if they engage in training.

Based on the National Defense Program Guidelines, the Ready Reserve SDF system was introduced to the Ground Self-Defense Force in fiscal year 1997 (Heisei 9). Previously, reserve SDF members were part-time personnel outside the regular personnel quota, but the Ready Reserve SDF members are within the regular personnel quota of the Ground Self-Defense Force, bringing the total number of the Ground Self-Defense Force to 160,000 (145,000 regular and 15,000 ready reserve members). When called up for defense, reserve SDF members share the responsibility of rear guard and rear support, but the Ready Reserve SDF members act as part of the frontline forces together with regular SDF members. In addition, in peacetime, they act as part of the dispatch unit for security deployment, disaster deployment, and earthquake disaster prevention deployment. In peacetime, they are called up for training for a set period of time, up to 30 days per year. They receive a ready reserve SDF member allowance (16,000 yen per month), a training conscription allowance if they engage in training (14,200 to 10,400 yen per day depending on rank), and a service bonus (120,000 yen for one term of three years). Companies that employ ready reserve SDF members are paid a subsidy (512,400 yen per person per year). In May 1997, a partial amendment to the Defense Agency Establishment Act (now the Ministry of Defense Establishment Act) meant that all reserve SDF members would be called up for defense even if a defense mobilization order was expected to be issued.

[Shigeo Hayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

防衛出動の際に任務につく義務を負う退職自衛官。自衛官の退職者のなかから志願で採用される。任期3年で、再任用も可。士長までは37歳未満、曹・尉クラスは停年年齢に2年加えた年齢未満まで。2003年度（平成15）末で陸4万6000人、海1100人、空800人である。1995年3月からは女性自衛官からも志願で採用されることになった。住所の変更、心身の故障、所在、死亡等の現況を明らかにする各種の届出の義務がある。防衛出動時には防衛招集命令に応じ（命令違反者は3年以下の懲役または禁錮）、自衛官として勤務する。平時には訓練招集に応じ、年20日以内で所定の期間、訓練に従事する。予備自衛官手当（月4000円）と訓練に従事した場合の訓練招集手当（1日につき8100円）が支給される。

　防衛大綱に基づき、即応予備自衛官制度が1997年度（平成9）より陸上自衛隊に導入された。これまでの予備自衛官は定員外の非常勤隊員だったが、即応予備自衛官は陸上自衛隊の定員内のもので、陸上自衛隊の体制は総数16万人（常備14万5000人、即応予備1万5000人）となった。予備自衛官は防衛招集時、後方警備や後方支援等の活動を分担するが、即応予備自衛官は常備自衛官とともに第一線部隊の一員として活動する。そのほか平時においても、治安出動、災害派遣、地震防災派遣時に出動部隊の一員として活動する。平時の訓練招集は年30日以内で所定の期間、訓練に従事する。即応予備自衛官手当（月1万6000円）と訓練に従事した場合の訓練招集手当（階級に応じ日額1万4200円～1万0400円）、さらに勤続報奨金（1任期＝3年で12万円）が支給される。一方、即応予備自衛官を雇用している企業には給付金（1人当り年51万2400円）が支給される。なお1997年5月からは、防衛庁設置法（現在は防衛省設置法となっている）の一部改正ですべての予備自衛官は防衛出動命令が発せられることが予想される場合にも、防衛招集されることになった。

［林　茂夫］

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