2025-06-05

International marriages are increasing in Japan as international exchange is flourishing in the economy and culture. On the other hand, depending on their departments and positions, Self-Defense Forces officers may handle confidential defense information. Is international marriage possible for these SDF officers?

What is a JSDF officer?

We often hear the term “JSDF,” but what does it mean?

Japan’s Ministry of Defense has its own special agency, the Self-Defense Forces. JSDF officers refer to the “Self-Defense Forces Personnel” and “Ministry of Defense Officials” who perform duties in the Self-Defense Forces. These SDF officers are full-time special national public officers and part-time special national public officers.

Japanese SDF personnel are considered “military personnel” in the armed forces of foreign countries. However, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are volunteer-based, and the Self-Defense Forces Law stipulates that the duties of SDF officers are to “perform the duties of the Self-Defense Forces upon receiving orders.

SDF officers are assigned to one of the following three separate organizations: the Ground Self-Defense Force, the Maritime Self-Defense Force, or the Air Self-Defense Force. The supreme commander is the Prime Minister.

What is an international marriage?

An international marriage is a marriage between a man and a woman of different nationalities. Although the number of international marriages in Japan has been increasing, it is still less common than in other countries, especially in Europe and the United States.

International marriages in Japan were 0.54% of all marriages in 1970 (the percentage of total marriages, the same below), but they increased rapidly in the 1980s and beyond, reaching 5 or 6% in 2005. Since then, however, the percentage has decreased, reaching about 3.5% in 2012. The decrease can be attributed to an increase in the number of cases of “sham marriages” to obtain visas, which have been exposed.

According to 2019 statistics, there were 14,911 marriages in which a Japanese was the husband and a foreigner was the wife, and 7,008 marriages in which a foreigner was the husband and a Japanese was the wife. The former is double the number of the latter, but this trend has not changed much over the years.

Are international marriages possible for Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel?

International marriages are no longer rare in Japan, but is it possible for a JSDF officer to marry a foreigner?

As a conclusion, there is no law that prohibits international marriages of SDF officers. To begin with, “Article 24 of the Constitution of Japan” allows Japanese people the “freedom of marriage,” so a law prohibiting international marriages is itself a violation of the Constitution. Therefore, the Self-Defense Forces officers can marry foreigners of their own will.

However, there is a concern about the leakage of confidential information when a JSDF officer marries a foreigner. If a SDF officer shares classified information with his or her spouse at home, it is not entirely unlikely that the spouse will intentionally or inadvertently tell that classified information to a government agency in his or her home country, which could lead to international problems.

In anticipation of such concerns, supplemental employment restrictions may be placed on SDF officers who are internationally married. These restrictions are designed to limit their ability to work in sensitive areas or divisions. It can be said that this system was established to protect the SDF organization.

Conclusion

There is no law prohibiting international marriages of SDF officers. Since “freedom of marriage” is originally recognized in the Constitution, international marriage itself cannot be prohibited to any Japanese. However, it is also a fact that there are certain restrictions on SDF personnel who have married internationally.