Air force > Combat aircraft 374

Ranked 6th. 12% more than Syria 335

Ranked 1st.

Armed forces personnel 237,000

Ranked 20th. 316,000

Ranked 13th. 33% more than Japan

Army > Main battle tanks 902

Ranked 7th. 3,500

Ranked 1st. 4 times more than Japan

Budget 51.4 US$ BN

Ranked 3rd. 28 times more than Syria 1.85 US$ BN

Ranked 1st.

Global Peace Index 1.29

Ranked 28th. 3.39

Ranked 3rd. 3 times more than Japan



Military service age and obligation 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; mandatory retirement at age 53 for senior enlisted personnel and at 62 years for senior service officers 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve; re-enlistment obligation 5 years, with retirement after 15 years or age 40 (enlisted) or 20 years or age 45 (NCOs)



Navy > Aircraft carriers 0.0

Ranked 8th. 0.0

Ranked 1st.

Navy > Corvette warships 24

Ranked 2nd. 3 times more than Syria 7

Ranked 1st.

Navy > Submarines 16

Ranked 3rd. 5 times more than Syria 3

Ranked 1st.

Paramilitary personnel 12,250

Ranked 49th. 108,000

Ranked 12th. 9 times more than Japan

Personnel > Per capita 2.13 per 1,000 people

Ranked 126th. 21.84 per 1,000 people

Ranked 8th. 10 times more than Japan



Service age and obligation 18 years of age for voluntary military service 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve

WMD > Missile Japan does not have a ballistic missile development program, but its space program includes a number of technologies that could potentially be adapted to long-range missiles. The solid-fueled M-5 rocket system, first launched in 1995, includes technologies that could be adapted to develop intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities roughly similar to those of the U.S. MX Peacekeeper missile. Japan's two-stage H-2 rocket is capable of placing a two-ton payload into orbit, but the H-2 is not optimal for ballistic missile applications due to its reliance on cryogenic liquid hydrogen and oxygen fuel. Japan lacks sophisticated command and control systems, as well as some guidance and warhead technology that would be necessary to develop operational missiles. Japan has partnered with the United States to research ballistic missile defenses (BMD), but has yet to make a final decision on future development and deployment. Many in Japan argue that a missile defense system would compliment the U.S. nuclear deterrent and defend against possible belligerents such as North Korea. Others argue that the system's costs outweigh the benefits, especially since the system's effectiveness is unproven. Missile defense also raises potential legal issues regarding Japanese legislation barring the military use of space. Japan is an active member of the MTCR and was involved in drafting the International Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC). Syria's missile program began in the early 1970s as a means to counter Israelâ€™s superior conventional military capabilities; since that time, the missile program has grown in tandem with the development of chemical weapons (CW). Syria now has one of the largest arsenals of ballistic missiles in the region, made up of hundreds of Scud-derived missile systems. In the 1970s and 1980s, Syria relied on Soviet technology and support for its missile program and imported the Soviet FROG-7, Scud-Bs, and the solid-fueled Scarab SS-21 missiles. In the 1990s, Syria looked to other states to supply it with missile technology and found willing partners in Iran and North Korea. Iran provided Syria with technical assistance for solid-fueled rocket motor production, while North Korea supplied it with equipment and technical assistance for liquid-fueled missile production. Syria, however, has had difficulty creating an indigenous production capability and has had to rely on continued imports from countries such as North Korea and China. Syria reportedly purchased 150 Scud-C missiles from North Korea in 1991. In September 2000, Syria tested a North Korean, 700 km-range Scud-D, revealing its commitment to expanding its missile capability. Syria is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

WMD > Nuclear Japan's "Atomic Energy Basic Law" allows only peaceful nuclear activities, and its "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" pledge that Japan will not possess, produce, or permit the introduction of nuclear weapons into the country. Despite Japan's long-standing stance against nuclear weapons, there was an internal debate in the early 1970s about whether Japan should sign the NPT, in part due to concerns about assuring access to nuclear technology to meet national energy needs, and the discriminatory nature of the treaty. Some conservatives were also concerned that closing off the nuclear option might negatively impact future national security needs. Japan has played an active role in nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, and has proposed a process for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Japan ratified the CTBT in 1997 and has been a strong supporter of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). However, Japan's security relationship with the United States has tempered Tokyo's emphasis on disarmament. For example, Japan remains quiet about the possible presence of nuclear warheads on U.S. ships and military bases in Japan. Japan increasingly relies on nuclear power for its electricity needs, and has a highly developed civilian nuclear sector. Japan has a controversial program for recycling spent nuclear fuel that has produced large quantities of plutonium in the form of metal-oxide nuclear fuel. At the end of 2001, Japan had more than 30 metric tons of spent fuel stored at reprocessing plants in Britain and France, along with a domestic stockpile of 5 to 6 tons. These nuclear fuel stockpiles will ultimately return to Japan for use in domestic nuclear facilities. The original plan called for consumption of the stored fuel by 2010, but due to technical and safety issues, this timetable has been delayed and return of the stored fuel to Japan is proceeding slowly. Some argue this material could provide Japan with a latent nuclear weapons capability. In addition, the new facility under constructing in Rokkasho (Aomori Prefecture) will increase Japanese domestic reprocessing capacity and potentially produce an additional 5 tons of metal-oxide nuclear fuel per year. Although anti-nuclear sentiment among the Japanese public has far outweighed support for keeping a nuclear option open, several neighboring countries have expressed concerns about possible Japanese nuclear ambitions. Partly in response to these fears, the Japanese government completed an internal study in 1995 that reaffirmed previous conclusions that developing nuclear weapons would damage both Japanâ€™s national security and regional security. However recent tension developing in the region, particularly in the Korean peninsula, has led to increased discussions in Japan about the once taboo subject of nuclear weapons development. Despite recent speculation that Japan may reconsider its nuclear options, the deep aversion to nuclear weapons among the Japanese public will likely make any move in this direction difficult. Although the Israeli and U.S. governments have expressed concerns about Syrian nuclear weapons aspirations, there is little convincing evidence of such an objective. Syria signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968 and ratified the document one year later; its 30 KW nuclear research reactor in Dayr al Jajar, provided by China, is under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. In 1998, the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission began discussions with Russia about expanding its nuclear infrastructure, as prior negotiations with Argentina and China had proved unsuccessful. In May 1999, Moscow and Damascus signed an agreement in which the former will provide at least one light water nuclear reactor, which will be subject to IAEA safeguards. At this time, Syria has neither the infrastructure nor the financial resources to pursue an indigenous nuclear weapons program. Following revelations regarding the nuclear technology proliferation network of Pakistan's A.Q. Khan in 2003, some have evinced concern that Syria may have been a client. In a September 2004 interview, IAEA Secretary General ElBaradei stated that there are "no indications" of such a relationship.

War deaths 0.0

Ranked 62nd. 0.0

Ranked 127th.



Military expenditures 1% of GDP

Ranked 46th. 3.6% of GDP

Ranked 4th. 4 times more than Japan

Military branches Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) Syrian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (includes Air Defense Forces)



Expenditures > Percent of GDP 0.8%

Ranked 78th. 5.9%

Ranked 11th. 7 times more than Japan



Armed forces personnel > Total 242,000

Ranked 22nd. 401,000

Ranked 16th. 66% more than Japan



Personnel 272,000

Ranked 23th. 416,000

Ranked 17th. 53% more than Japan



Navy > Frigates 36

Ranked 1st. 7 times more than Syria 5

Ranked 1st.

Expenditures > Dollar figure per capita $358.80

Ranked 8th. 7 times more than Syria $52.41

Ranked 10th.

Branches Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koku Jieitai, ASDF) Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense Command)

Weapons of mass destruction > Chemical weapons possession Probable Known

Military expenditure > Current LCU 4.77 trillion

Ranked 5th. 47 times more than Syria 101.46 billion

Ranked 28th.



Manpower reaching military age annually > Males 623,365

Ranked 18th. 2 times more than Syria 256,698

Ranked 46th.



Expenditures > Dollar figure $45.84 billion

Ranked 2nd. 53 times more than Syria $858.00 million

Ranked 7th.

Weapon holdings 3.31 million

Ranked 27th. 11.9 million

Ranked 5th. 4 times more than Japan

Armed forces personnel per 1000 1.87

Ranked 116th. 19.3

Ranked 8th. 10 times more than Japan

Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males 622,168

Ranked 18th. 3 times more than Syria 215,734

Ranked 51st.



Personnel per 1000 2.13

Ranked 125th. 22.9

Ranked 7th. 11 times more than Japan



Expenditure > Current LCU 4867750000000 77800000000



Weapons of mass destruction > Chemical Weapons Convention ratification September 15, 1995 No

Nuclear weapons > Non-Proliferation treaty sign date 3 Feb 1970 (L, M, W) 1 Jul 1968 (M)

Conscription No <a href=/graph-T/mil_con>conscription</a> (<a href=/encyclopedia/artificial-intelligence>AI</a>). <a href=/graph-T/mil_con>Conscription</a> exists (<a href=/encyclopedia/artificial-intelligence>AI</a>).

Armed forces growth -3%

Ranked 76th. -21%

Ranked 92nd. 7 times more than Japan

Imports > USD 578 million

Ranked 14th. 7 times more than Syria 81 million

Ranked 42nd.



Arms imports > Constant 1990 US$ 250 million constant 1990 US$

Ranked 26th. 19 times more than Syria 13 million constant 1990 US$

Ranked 68th.



WMD > Biological Japan had an active biological weapons (BW) program prior to 1945. The focal point was the now infamous Unit 731 based at a laboratory complex in northeastern China during the Japanese occupation. Unit 731 experimented on Chinese civilians and Allied prisoners of war with various biological agents, including plague, cholera, and hemorrhagic fever. After World War II, the Japanese government abandoned its BW program. Japan signed the BWC in 1972 and ratified it in 1982. Japan has actively supported negotiation of a protocol to strengthen current BWC provisions. Since the 1995 Aum Shinrikyo's sarin attack and failed attempt to disperse anthrax, Japan has increased its focus on bio-terrorism defenses. Although Japan has a growing biotechnology industry, it is still small in comparison to its chemical industry. As a member of the Australia Group, Japan's biotech industry is subject to a comprehensive set of export controls. There is very limited open-source information regarding Syria's biological warfare (BW) capability. German and Israeli sources have asserted that Syria possesses Bacillus anthracis (which causes anthrax), botulinum toxin, and ricin. Other independent assessments, however, maintain there is no evidence that the country has progressed past the research and development phase of a BW capability. Syria has a pharmaceutical infrastructure that could support a limited BW program, and it engages in extensive trade of dual-use equipment and goods with companies in Western Europe, Russia, and North Korea. Damascus ratified the Geneva Protocol in 1968 and signed the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) on April 14, 1972, but has yet to ratify it.

Expenditures 0.8% of GDP

Ranked 67th. 5.9% of GDP

Ranked 4th. 7 times more than Japan

Military expenditures > Percent of GDP 0.8% of GDP

Ranked 50th. 5.9% of GDP

Ranked 5th. 7 times more than Japan

Expenditures > Dollar figure > Per $ GDP $10.00 per 1,000 $ of GDP

Ranked 66th. $44.40 per 1,000 $ of GDP

Ranked 3rd. 4 times more than Japan

WMD > Chemical Japanese scientists began developing chemical weapons (CW) as early as 1917. The Japanese Army used CW after invading China in 1937, conducting an estimated 1,000 to 3,000 attacks. Japan reportedly produced five to seven million munitions containing agents such as phosgene, mustard, lewisite, hydrogen cyanide, and diphenyl cyanarsine. Although Japanese forces used many of these munitions between 1937 and 1945, a considerable amount was abandoned when Japanese forces retreated. After World War II, Japan pledged to not produce CW and participated in the negotiations for the CWC, which Japan signed in 1993 and ratified in 1995. Japan's CWC obligations include the responsibility for the disposal of abandoned CW (ACW) in China. The deadline for completion of the clean-up is 2007, but the scale of the program has led many to estimate that Japan will need an extension. Japan's chemical industry is the world's second largest, with about 16 percent of global chemical production. As a member of the Australia Group, Japan has developed comprehensive and well-enforced export controls on chemical weapons precursors and dual-use items. Since the 1995 Aum Shinrikyo sarin attack, Japanese spending on CW defense has increased. Syria is suspected of having one of the most advanced chemical warfare (CW) capabilities in the Middle East and among developing countries worldwide. Syria allegedly received initial chemical warfare assistance and supplies, including weaponized chemical agents, from Egypt prior to the October War against Israel in 1973. Analysts claim that the country now has an indigenous capability to produce and weaponize nerve (e.g., sarin) and blister (e.g., mustard) agents. There are numerous highly inconsistent reports that Syria has successfully produced and weaponized VX nerve agent. There are some allegations that Syria received Russian assistance in developing this agent in the 1990s but these reports remain substantially unconfirmed in the open sources. Syria appears to remain dependent on the acquisition of imported dual-use technology, equipment and precursors. In the past Syria has acquired many of these items from various European countries and India. Despite the widespread belief that Syria has an active chemical weapons program it is still able to obtain access to many dual-use chemicals used by its oil and chemical industries. As export controls have tightened Syria has increasingly turned to imports from countries outside international export control regimes such as Egypt and North Korea for the provision of certain precursor chemicals. Syria is still able to meet many of its more general bulk chemical needs from its traditional European and Indian suppliers. Syria possesses Scud-B and Scud-C ballistic missiles capable of being fitted with chemical warheads, and in 1999 it allegedly tested a Scud-B carrying a warhead designed to disperse VX. The quality of Syrian weaponization efforts is not clear from open-sources and it remains unclear how effective the use of Scud missiles would be against Israeli defenses. In addition to this long range capability Syria is believed to possess a significant tactical chemical weapons capability centered around artillery shells and rockets. Open sources assert that there are at least three Syrian facilities currently engaged in producing CW, located near Damascus, Hama, and Safira village (in the Aleppo area). Beginning in early 2003 officials in the united States and Israel began to suggest that Syria had received shipments of chemical weapons and other WMD from Iraq. These allegations increased in frequency as the absence of WMD in Iraq became more apparent. To date the available information suggests that these allegations are at best speculative and at worst malicious. Given the claims that Syria has the most advanced CW capability in the middle-east it is difficult to find a convincing rationale for Syria receiving illicit Iraqi WMD stocks. Since late 2002 Syria has been confronted by an aggressive United States using WMD possession as a justification for pre-emptive military action. Since April 2003 Syria has been effectively surrounded by the United States and its allies and has come under increasing political and military pressures. Damascus ratified the Geneva Protocol in 1968, but so far has declined to sign the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). In 2004 Syrian officials met with the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In the absence of information on the content of the discussions the significance of this development remains unclear.

Weapon holdings per 1000 26.01

Ranked 90th. 712.83

Ranked 7th. 27 times more than Japan

Arms > Exports > Constant 1990 US$ 3 million constant 1990 US$

Ranked 39th. 38 million constant 1990 US$

Ranked 21st. 13 times more than Japan



Employment in arms > Production 85,000

Ranked 9th. 6 times more than Syria 15,000

Ranked 36th.

Manpower fit for military service > Males age 18-49 22.23 million

Ranked 5th. 6 times more than Syria 3.45 million

Ranked 34th.

Exports > USD 32 million

Ranked 22nd. 11 times more than Syria 3 million

Ranked 39th.



Manpower available for military service > Males age 18-49 27 million

Ranked 6th. 6 times more than Syria 4.36 million

Ranked 37th.

Manpower reaching military age annually > Males per thousand people 4.89

Ranked 213th. 11.46

Ranked 32nd. 2 times more than Japan



Expenditures > Dollar figure > Per capita $358.80 per capita

Ranked 8th. 7 times more than Syria $51.03 per capita

Ranked 9th.

Manpower > Availability > Males 27.82 million

Ranked 10th. 5 times more than Syria 5.25 million

Ranked 52nd.



Manpower > Military age 18 years of age 19 years of age

Manpower reaching military service age annually > Males age 18-49 683,147

Ranked 15th. 3 times more than Syria 225,113

Ranked 40th.

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually > Males 623,365

Ranked 18th. 2 times more than Syria 256,698

Ranked 46th.

Arms > Exports > Constant 1990 US$ > Per capita 23.79 constant 1990 US$ per 1

Ranked 42nd. 2,716.76 constant 1990 US$ per 1

Ranked 23th. 114 times more than Japan



Arms imports > Constant 1990 US$ per capita 1.96 constant 1990 US$

Ranked 48th. 3 times more than Syria 0.735 constant 1990 US$

Ranked 75th.



Manpower fit for military service > Females age 18-49 21.49 million

Ranked 6th. 6 times more than Syria 3.42 million

Ranked 31st.

Employment in arms > Production per 1000 0.669

Ranked 33th. 0.898

Ranked 26th. 34% more than Japan

Manpower > Availability > Females 26.86 million

Ranked 10th. 5 times more than Syria 4.97 million

Ranked 49th.



Manpower > Fit for military service > Males 22.96 million

Ranked 8th. 5 times more than Syria 4.24 million

Ranked 49th.



Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49 29.39 million

Ranked 10th. 6 times more than Syria 4.72 million

Ranked 53th.



Arms imports > Constant 1990 US$ > Per capita 1.96 constant 1990 US$ per c

Ranked 48th. 3 times more than Syria 0.7 constant 1990 US$ per c

Ranked 75th.



Manpower reaching military service age annually > Females age 18-49 per 1000 5.09

Ranked 87th. 10.83

Ranked 23th. 2 times more than Japan

Manpower reaching military age annually > Females per thousand people 4.64

Ranked 213th. 11.36

Ranked 43th. 2 times more than Japan

Manpower reaching military age annually > Females 591,253

Ranked 18th. 2 times more than Syria 244,712

Ranked 47th.

Manpower > Fit for military service > Females 22.13 million

Ranked 9th. 5 times more than Syria 4.22 million

Ranked 46th.



Manpower reaching military service age annually > Females age 18-49 650,157

Ranked 12th. 3 times more than Syria 211,829

Ranked 30th.

Manpower reaching military service age annually > Males age 18-49 per 1000 5.35

Ranked 139th. 11.51

Ranked 25th. 2 times more than Japan

Manpower available for military service > Females age 18-49 26.15 million

Ranked 5th. 6 times more than Syria 4.12 million

Ranked 34th.

Manpower > Availability > Males per 1000 217.85

Ranked 167th. 258.13

Ranked 72nd. 18% more than Japan



Arms > Exports > Constant 1990 US$ per capita 0.0238 constant 1990 US$

Ranked 41st. 2.8 constant 1990 US$

Ranked 23th. 118 times more than Japan



Expenditures > Dollar figure, % of GDP 0.985%

Ranked 64th. 4.44%

Ranked 3rd. 5 times more than Japan

Conscription status No Yes

Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Females 590,153

Ranked 18th. 3 times more than Syria 203,106

Ranked 52nd.



Military expenditure > % of GDP 1.01%

Ranked 86th. 4.16%

Ranked 11th. 4 times more than Japan



Personnel > % of total labor force 0.41%

Ranked 127th. 5.49%

Ranked 9th. 13 times more than Japan



Manpower > Availability > Females per 1000 210.36

Ranked 140th. 244.09

Ranked 73th. 16% more than Japan



Expenditure > % of GDP 0.97%

Ranked 90th. 6.22%

Ranked 8th. 6 times more than Japan



Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually > Females 591,253

Ranked 18th. 2 times more than Syria 244,712

Ranked 47th.

Armed forces personnel > % of total labor force 0.36%

Ranked 125th. 5.96%

Ranked 4th. 17 times more than Japan

