SDF poster seems to be repelling more people than it’s recruiting

The real problem is that young people realize that if they join the SDF now, under Abe, they may actually have to fight and die in a war. Most likely a US caused foreign war. In spite of appearances, perhaps young people are not that stupid.

"Mr. Abe, the propaganda was a great success. He was ecstatic dying for the fatherland."

The severed head being passed to the shadowy figure sort of makes me think of an ISIS beheading.

Entrust your head to a shadowy government?

"And remember men, always keep your head up!"

It beats 'Seaman Ship For Love"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjAXJaFydwM

I agree with all of the above.

Just noticed the 美しい国を守る (defend the beautiful country) on the image.

Can they please bulldoze the eyesores, and those responsible?

Wow. What a sick slogan.

How about a good-looking guy an attractive gal both in full uniform delivering a crisp salutes? The caption would read, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. The US cannot protect / defend us (our mainland) forever."

-or what that be too harsh for ordinary Japanese to swallow?

So, a couple of guys get kidnapped in the ME and area beheaded after Abe's push to change the Constitution and in his bombast towards ISIS, and the answer is this poster to get people to join up? ANOTHER example of, "We should have thought a little more and checked before printing".

WTF! Who was the idiot that came up with this?

Joining the military means you are signing up to an organization that may go into harm's way to defend the nation . It's the same in any and all nations including Japan. You can't really hide that fact and is the first thing they teach at boot camp.

You can't really hide that fact and is the first thing they teach at boot camp.

If the Draft is initiated here in Japan, they ought to round-up all those SEALDs students and throw them in "boot camp" for a reality check ehh?

It's actually quite a good poster. It's trying to represent the corruption and systemic abuse of society and the public by government agencies and shadowy private corporations and power brokers. The severed head is to represent the powerlessness of society and how far it has been dismembered already in comparison to the freedoms exercised by the other two. The ironic smile on the face is to further indicate submission and almost complicity, as well as contempt by the other two

"How about a good-looking guy an attractive gal both in full uniform delivering a crisp salutes? The caption would read, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

That JFK quote is utterly moronic. That kind of boneheaded patriotism wouldn't appeal to the majority of Japanese youngsters. Also, given the direction this government is moving in, the chances of being sent to war zones by rightwing thugs and getting limbs blown off or getting killed is becoming more of a possibility.

Parents, cover your kids eyes if you see this monstrosity.

That poster's unnerving! I liked the last article about the SDF poster with the main characters from the Anime "GATE: And so the SDF Fought"!

Another SDF poster that didn't make much of a positive impression on me showed a gaggle of 20-something soldiers in dress uniform (tunics, shirts and ties, like police uniforms but green) all mugging the camera and grinning like high school boys on a school trip. None of them looked especially prepared to defend the country.

"Our armed force and our country is run by a load of headless idiots, It's yours for the taking"

I love Japan's model of transferring employees to new divisions every 2 or 3 years. The person that did that poster must have just transferred in from Human Resources.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country

Quoting a Catholic Democrat? Careful, now.

That JFK quote is utterly moronic. That kind of boneheaded patriotism wouldn't appeal to the majority of Japanese youngsters.

Yeah, it was. My bad. Stirred you up some though . . . Its hopeless then. The USAFJ will be here forever then. As long as the checks from Tokyo to DC don't bounce each fiscal year, Japan can expect peace and security no matter how low SDF recruitment gets.

Is the big head a winning Amakudari candidate?

Obviously, I don't support militarization, its going to get a lot of well looked after Japanese kids killed.

I could make a poster better than this in an hour.lol

Pretty messed up!!

Japan should recruit foreigners to the armed forces and give them citizenship upon discharge. Two birds, meet one stone!

I put it up on Facebook and people can't stop laughing at it and wondering what the hell Japan is thinking.

I suppose that having a poster with something more masculine or adult would be out of the question vice having an animae character would be much better. People need to be aware that the role of the SDF is to stop people from 'breaking stuff" since in most countries, the military is used to "break stuff" and Japan with their Article 9 to their constitution is not allowed to do that. Only stop people from breaking stuff in Japan. Still a better image, not a mascot would do them much better.

since in most countries

Speak for yourself!

the military is used to "break stuff"

The correct term is kill people.

The more Japanese people realise this the better. Young men will be sent by old men to kill and be killed.

It's not Dear Leader's fireman puppets jumping over white picket fences to extinguish fires.

SDF has always had the oddest advertising, this one might take the cake!

I wonder why they don't just use real photos of SDF members helping/rescuing during the 3/11 disaster or the big floods in northern Japan last year, etc...that would more realistically portray what SDF folks do...

With ISIS / Daesh using the act of beheading as a terror symbol and terrorism being the biggest threat to our security, it seems like the poster was created by and accepted by those who have the insight of a frog - none. So comical.

Utterly unbelievable. Utterly !

Would have been more impressive with a Frank Sidebottom head. You know it would, it really would. Thank you.

Just to make it clear:

What is collective self-defence?

Japan's post-World War Two constitution bars it from using force to resolve international conflicts except in cases of self-defence. Mr Abe's government has pushed for security legislation that would allow Japan's military to mobilise overseas when these three conditions are met:

When Japan is attacked, or when a close ally is attacked, and the result threatens Japan's survival and poses a clear danger to people

When there is no other appropriate means available to repel the attack and ensure Japan's survival and protect its people

Use of force is restricted to a necessary minimum

I've seen nothing about the SDF fighting alongside America in the Middle East.

Prepare to meet Jihad John in combat or overseas deployment?

In winter you see the SDF hanging out in ski resorts for winter training. They have to ski in full kit (minus rifle) and have older ski gear than the worst mom and pop rental shop, but it'll still be way more fun than what many salarymen have to put up with. They do both downhill and cross country skiing, so I think they get to go for longer than the average weekend warrior.

@T2:

I've seen nothing about the SDF fighting alongside America in the Middle East.

What evidence have we that we can trust Abe to ensure there's no mission creep?

When Japan is attacked, or when a close ally is attacked, and the result threatens Japan's survival and poses a clear danger to people

Oil? Other Japanese economic interests?

When there is no other appropriate means available to repel the attack and ensure Japan's survival and protect its people

When AKB48 diplomacy fails?

Use of force is restricted to a necessary minimum

Define necessary in a complex, putting-out-the-fire-with-petrol conflict.

In winter you see the SDF hanging out in ski resorts for winter training

Are they still making snowmen?

No, I don't get it either and am bemused and amused in equal measure. But surely this is part of the charm of Japan?

looks like ISIS decapitation

Debucho,

looks like ISIS decapitation

Right! There is no way the SDF are going to be done by the Trades Description Act.

This is what you're likely to get if you join the SDF!

"Join the SDF and we'll hand you right over to ISIS for decapitation." Brilliant!!!

There was a wonderful spoof of a recruiting ad that was on some comedy show in England years ago. I forget what the show was. Python?

"It's a great life in the modern army."

"You can learn to drive tanks."

"Fire big guns."

"Go to all kinds of amazing places."

"AND you get ten pounds a week."

"Just THINK how many smarties (M&Ms) you can get with ten pounds!"

Whatever message they were trying to deliver with this poster, I don’t think it’s getting through!

Didn't anyone think to test this poster with the viewing public BEFORE they approved it's distribution? The picture doesn't make any sense.

Did you even read the quote I gave? The SDF will not fight in the Middle East according to the new law. You really think young men and women who spend most of their time on PR or humanitarian missions will willingly join if they think they will go off to fight terrorists with no concept of compassion? This isn't the bloody 1940s and Japan isn't in danger. Grief!