Japan Self-Defense Force Officer and Female Soldier in Their 40s and 20s Had Consensual Sex on Duty, Sparking Uproar

Sexual Relations Twice While on Duty
20-Day Suspension as Disciplinary Action

A non-commissioned officer and a soldier belonging to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force were found to have engaged in sexual relations while on duty and are set to face disciplinary action. Recently, a series of incidents within the Japan Self-Defense Forces has sparked growing criticism over a lack of discipline.

According to local media outlets such as the Okinawa Times on October 23, the 15th Brigade of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force imposed a 20-day suspension on both a 43-year-old male non-commissioned officer (referred to as A) and a 24-year-old female soldier (referred to as B) from the 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment on October 16, after it was discovered that they had engaged in sexual relations while on duty at their base.

A non-commissioned officer and a soldier belonging to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force were found to have engaged in sexual relations while on duty and are set to face disciplinary action. The photo is a reference image to aid understanding of the article and is unrelated to the content. Pixabay

According to the 15th Brigade, the two, who were in a superior-subordinate relationship, had consensual sexual relations while on duty on November 1, 2022. They engaged in sexual relations again while on duty three days later, on November 4.

The incident came to light recently when B voluntarily reported it to the unit. It has been reported that after the incident, B expressed her intention to leave the unit. The 15th Brigade stated, "It took three years to reach a disciplinary decision because we conducted a thorough investigation and followed strict procedures," adding, "Both individuals have admitted their actions and are reflecting on them. We will provide education to our personnel to prevent such incidents from happening again."

The Japan Self-Defense Forces have recently faced harsh criticism for a series of misconduct cases, raising concerns about a serious decline in discipline. According to the Ministry of Defense, 1,568 personnel received disciplinary action in 2023, an increase of 338 from the previous year. The most common reason for disciplinary action was private misconduct, accounting for 396 cases (25%), followed by harassment with 364 cases (about 23%), and violations of duty-related obligations with 161 cases (about 10%).

Experts point out that these incidents are discouraging young people from applying to the Self-Defense Forces. In fact, the recruitment rate for the Self-Defense Forces in 2023 was only 50.8% of the target. Although the plan was to recruit 19,598 personnel, only 9,959 were actually hired. This is lower than the previous record low of 55.8% in 1993, and it marks the first time the number of recruits has fallen below 10,000.