Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1096

 1044 JAPAN

Defence.

I. Army.

Service in the army (or navy) is universal and compulsory. Liability commences at the age of 17 and extends to the age of 40, but actual service begins at 20. All those physically capable of bearing arms are divided into two classes, the 'fit,' and the 'absolutely fit.' The numbers necessary for the first line (or active army), called Gen-eki, are taken solely from the ' abso- lutely fit.' Service in the ranks is for 2 years in the infantry, 8 in all other arms ; then for 5 (or 4) years and 4 months in the reserve ( Yobi). One year volunteers are admitted. Reservists are called out twice for training during their reserve service, for 60 days on each occasion. Having completed 7 years and 4 months in the first line, including its reserve, the men arc transferred to the second line, called Kobi. Service in the Kobi is for 10 years, with two trainings of 60 days each in the whole period. At the end of their Kobi service the men are in the 38th year of their age, and they are passed into the Kokumin, which is the territorial or home defence army. In this they serve for 2 years and 8 months, to complete their total service of 20 years.

The reserve for making good the waste of war, or supplementary reserve, is called Hojii. It is composed of the balance of the ' absolutely fit ' recruits not required for the first line, and of as many of those classed as "fit" as may be required to make up a certain fixed number. They all serve in the Hojii for 7 years and 4 months, during which they have a first training of 90 days, and two subsequent trainings of 60 days each. After completion of this period of their service they are passed to the K5bi, in which they serve for ten years, like the men who have passed through the first line. Lite them also they are finally passed to the Kokumin for 2 years and 8 months to complete their army service.

The Kokumin is divided iuto two 'bans.' The first ban comprises all the men who have passed, as shown above, through the first line and land- wehr, or through the supplementary reserve and landwehr, and who there- fore have only 2 years and 8 months to spend in the Kokumin. The second ban is the levy en masse of all those capable of bearing arms. It includes (1) those who though ' fit ' are not required for the Hojii ; (2) those who for various reasons have been exempted from military service ; and (3) the young men between 17 and 20 years of age who have not been called up. None of these classes receive any military training, but they can be drawn on in case of national emergency.

The partially traiued men who have been passed into the Kobi from the Hojii are not included in the fighting units of the Second Line. They supply the large number of men required for the transport servico on mobilisation, and for the expansion of other departmental corps.

The field army of Japan consists of 21 divisions, including the guard, 4 independent cavalry brigades, 3 independent brigades of field artillery (each of 12 batteries of 6 guns), 3 Independent divisions of mountain guns, and 6 regiments of heavy field artillery, each of 24 guns.

Two infantry regiments form a brigade, and two brigades (12 battalions) x division. The artillery consists of a regiment of field artillery (6 batteries of 6 guns) supplemented by heavy or mountain guns as required (also pro- bably by 3 batteries of Kflb: Mi illery). A regiment of cavalry of 3 squadroe with 4 machine guns, and a battalion of engineers, complete the divisior Four infantry, and 4 artillery, ammunition columns, 6 field hospitals, supply columns, and 1 remount depot accompanv each division in the field The war strength of a division is reckoned at 18,700 officers and men, 4,8C horses, 36 guns, and 1,674 vehicles.