TOKYO, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Japan's House of Councillors on Wednesday passed legislation facilitating the concurrent service of national and local public employees as reserve personnel of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), lowering barriers to their mobilization in emergency situations, Kyodo News reported.
According to the Act on Special Provisions for Concurrent Employment of National and Local Public Employees to Ensure the Smooth Execution of Duties by Self-Defense Force Reserve Personnel and Others, national and local public employees who are called up for SDF reserve personnel training will continue to receive their full pay from their regular jobs during the period of responding to a call-up.
In addition, once public employees obtain approval from their supervisors when they become reserve personnel, they will no longer be required to seek approval each time they participate in training or undertake related duties in the future.
SDF reserve personnel normally work in their civilian occupations and are required to participate in training for a certain number of days each year. Currently, about 70 percent of SDF reserve positions are filled.
Japan has sought to strengthen the so-called "defense capabilities" through the enactment and revision of laws in recent months.
On Tuesday, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party approved a draft proposal on revising the country's three key security documents within the year.
The proposal not only called for further increases in defense spending but also urged raising the manning rate of SDF reserve personnel to prepare for contingencies. These developments have sparked widespread public concern. ■
