Japanese Self-Defense Force mulls removing its ban on tattoos

What's the difference between mulling and eyeing?

I thought Mull was a Scottish island

The more tattoos someone has shows a direct correlation to their low IQ.

The intention here is quite obvious. Can't very well send kids fed on J-Pop and Akiba culture to the battle field. When the war comes, where will Japan find people with weapon training and combat skills?

Well, camel nose under the tent. Would be lovely to go to the pool or gym.

Japanese love the minutiae…

Given the fact that tattoos are almost nonexistent within Japan’s recruiting pool, the measure is pointless, and the act of making it a matter of debate is a waste of time. The real problem is the declining birthrate, and that is what first needs to be addressed. But solving problems isn’t something politics is good at, problems are profitable, solutions are not.

Kazuaki - hi again ( I got free time today)

your comment

"Besides, we have to ask ourselves whether it's normal to want to pierce yourself with billions of tiny needles and fill the holes with ink. Personally, I treasure my bodily integrity."

I often ask myself the same question about smokers for example. Is it normal to suck in billions of tiny particles - PM2.5 - and fill the alveoli of your lungs with tar.

Point being - what one considers deviant or causing self-harm does not necessarily match with others.

I have never employed a smoker in my business, because I have seen it as a sign of weakness and/or dependency as well as not healthy and a nuisance to others.

I have no such qualms re tattooed folks. I actually don't have any tattooed employees at the moment - that I know of - but do in fact sport 2 tattoos myself, one visible sometimes.

Private or unassuming tattoos are not on my radar as to whether a person is suitable for the task at hand.

If you cannot logically attack the message, then you must attack the messenger...

But when the message itself is attacking a woman/women as being deviant, or anyone for that matter, based upon a narrow minded and ignorant assumption, for having a tattoo, the message and messenger are wrong! Thus they open their opinion open to appropriate responses.

"I think it's you who may be the deviant for wanting to check out all the females butts to check if they have tattoos!"

If you cannot logically attack the message, then you must attack the messenger...

Not to that extent, but in the context of Japan she'd be more likely to be at least mildly deviant. In a society where the tattoo is shunned, anyone that wears it is an increased risk.

Right, like how are you going to know in the first place? I think it's you who may be the deviant for wanting to check out all the females butts to check if they have tattoos!

Besides, we have to ask ourselves whether it's normal to want to pierce yourself with billions of tiny needles and fill the holes with ink. Personally, I treasure my bodily integrity.

You need to change the "besides we have to" to "I have to ask myself", This isnt a question for the collective, but one an individual has to decide for on their own.

Why put your nose into other people's business? You can treasure your body as you see fit, but you have ZERO right to tell me how to handle mine. Dont be so naive!

So, if a girl gets a tattoo of a butterfly on her butt she’s a yakuza member? Yakuza tatts are full body tatts. Japan really has to grow up.

Not to that extent, but in the context of Japan she'd be more likely to be at least mildly deviant. In a society where the tattoo is shunned, anyone that wears it is an increased risk.

Besides, we have to ask ourselves whether it's normal to want to pierce yourself with billions of tiny needles and fill the holes with ink. Personally, I treasure my bodily integrity.

Great to see the JSDF getting rid of discriminative practices.

Don't compare that to average Japanese person salary, since their job is not 9-5 job in comfortable office. Their current salary is high but it should be higher.Recently they missed 16,400 personal from their recruitment target.

Quite so! They actually have it better in many ways than the average salary man. Your comment about "comfort" is humorous. Oh and the "missed" personnel not "personal" goals from recruitment has little if anything due to pay, it's more about how the current government is looking to change the JSDF into full blown military.

Japanese society has traditionally taken a dim view of tattoos, due to their long historical association with the yakuza

So, if a girl gets a tattoo of a butterfly on her butt she’s a yakuza member? Yakuza tatts are full body tatts. Japan really has to grow up.

This is just a step to increase the pool of volunteers.

When that's not enough, mandatory conscription is next.

virusrexToday  07:46 am JST

Sad that the reason for the possible change is not because it is recognized as an invalid way to discriminate between applicants of value, instead it is just a "necessary" measure to get more people accepted.

Not "sad" at all. Long ingrained traditional customs in any country which has become biases can only be changed or eliminated when the objective benefits are examined and debated.

Personally, I wouldn’t get a tattoo, but in the military tattoos are a part of the camaraderie. Looking at it in that way, they should have the freedom to choose.

Facial tattooes are quite scary but apart from having 666 tattooed across your forehead, I cant see why anyone would be refused a place in the army.

Really? That’s an issue in 2023? It’s a 3 second decision. Get rid of it.

It will require about another 3 years of discussion.

The blanket tattoo bans play into society fears in japan while also reveling in the misinformed. Like the article said, criminal organizations tattoos are extremely specific and easy to recognize. Treating a normal 20 year old as a criminal and denying them services or jobs because they got a generic “carpe diem “ or culturally insensitive tribal tattoo is completely absurd.

Also the idea that all yakuza have tattoos is something that especially caught on in the 60s when various yakuza themed movies began to get popular. Most of them don’t even do the tattoos anymore because it simply attracts too much attention. Hence why the groups and their businesses still exist. That sketchy real estate agent might wear a business suit to work everyday but it doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the boys

possibility of removing it if it’s no longer deemed necessary.

Who deemed it necessary, and why? Because only real criminals would ever stain their bodies with ink? Why not just imprison everyone with a tattoo?

So backwards, still ages behind as usual. The Time article outlines it well.

If the US military had the same tattoo policy that would disqualify at least 80% of active duty men and women lol! Because in a war zone, I’m sure tattoos will play a decisive factor in who can perform their duties or not! It might do the SDF good to actively recruit former Yakuza youth. At least they would have street smarts and are accustomed to order and violence. Isn’t that why the US military actively recruits seniors at inner city high schools who have no better options than crime and gangs?

Restrictions for cops regarding tattoos have fallen away over the years because they too have recruitment numbers to meet. And the result? Law enforcement in the USA now has a high percentage of cops that come from the criminal class, just like we saw soldiers recruited for the war in Iraq borderline mentally challenged.

There are literally gangs within some police forces with their own gang tattoos.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-08/new-deputy-gang-forming-in-l-a-county-sheriffs-department-lawsuit-alleges

Ego booster. Is it worth it if you cannot have free access to the onsen and water parks?

Restrictions for cops regarding tattoos have fallen away over the years because they too have recruitment numbers to meet. And the result? Law enforcement in the USA now has a high percentage of cops that come from the criminal class, just like we saw soldiers recruited for the war in Iraq borderline mentally challenged.

Here in the US, tons of cops walk around with full sleeves. Soldiers have always had them.

I thought tattoos were required to become a Marine...

Until pretty recently tattoos were not supposed to be visible below the sleeves of a short sleeved shirt like their "Charlies" (khaki short sleeve shirt, olive green trousers). The US Navy was the same way.

The most elaborate tattoos I have seen on sailors belonged to the crew of a Canadian Defense Force ship visiting San Diego. I was taken aback because their tattoos, some of which were kind of explicit, would have never passed muster in the US military.

Japan is preparing for war and so need more soldiers. Other restrictions to enlistment will also fall away.

2023 mind you and sakurasuki is right just look at who won WW2

@Yubaru

Me thinks you know little about how much they get paid, and for what they do. Their average pay is higher than the average Japanese person. Just pot stirring right?

https://worldsalaries.com/average-soldier-salary-in-japan/

Don't compare that to average Japanese person salary, since their job is not 9-5 job in comfortable office. Their current salary is high but it should be higher.Recently they missed 16,400 personal from their recruitment target.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/01/02/national/japan-sdf-recruitment-problems/

Really?

That’s an issue in 2023? It’s a 3 second decision.

Get rid of it.

Easing tatoo policy is much easier then increasing salary especially in the case less recruit available.

Me thinks you know little about how much they get paid, and for what they do. Their average pay is higher than the average Japanese person. Just pot stirring right?

https://worldsalaries.com/average-soldier-salary-in-japan/

Sad that the reason for the possible change is not because it is recognized as an invalid way to discriminate between applicants of value, instead it is just a "necessary" measure to get more people accepted.

How about colored hair first? But fun aside, obviously it’s showing the despair due to lesser childbirths, anyway, those more kind of unruly persons won’t follow military orders at the same level than people without any tattoos. So where’s exactly the merit, when you then have a few more members in the forces, but suddenly everyone does or denies everything like he or she likes?

Finally Japan realize that tatoo have nothing to do hindering someone to be professional soldiers, many soldiers, airman and seaman have tatoos during WW2, see who won WW2.

Tattoos in Japan have long been associated with organized crime syndicates. Basically if you have a tat then your criminal. and they don't wont criminals in the armed forces. hence the rules. They are of course outdated but Japan takes a long time to make any changes just in case something goes wrong they don't want to owe the responsibility for it so they procrastinate over something till it goes away and somebody else can deal with the issue.

I thought tattoos were required to become a Marine...

Finally Japan realize that tatoo have nothing to do hindering someone to be professional soldiers, many soldiers, airman and seaman have tatoos during WW2, see who won WW2.

Currently, candidates looking to enlist in the SDF have their applications rejected if they have tattoos. Sato feels there are two problems with this policy. Japan’s low birth rate means that the country’s population is shrinking and aging, leaving a smaller and smaller pool of citizens who are within the feasible age range for active SDF service. Further cutting down that candidate pool by dismissing applicants out of hand for having tattoos is only making the situation more difficult, 

Easing tatoo policy is much easier then increasing salary especially in the case less recruit available.

Further cutting down that candidate pool by dismissing applicants out of hand for having tattoos is only making the situation more difficult, Sato asserts. “Rejecting applicants for having tattoos presents a problem in terms of bolstering our number of enlisted personnel.”

It would be either accept the tats or wait for the GPT powered Gundams.

I imagine the change will take some time coming.