When the war finally broke out and Japan started conquering British, Dutch, French, and American territories, waves of volunteers of different nationalities joined the ranks of the Imperial Army.

The Japanese army, ... To expand the overall ranks, General Yoshida said the Self-Defense Forces should increase the proportion of women to 12 percent, from less than 8 percent, by 2030.

The Japanese military is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of demographic change. Since its founding in 1954, ... The inability to fill the military ranks will also eventually require ...