TOKYO, Apr 04 (News On Japan) - The Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) has suspended the training of new Ranger personnel across most units for the remainder of the current fiscal year, JNN has learned. This is the first long-term nationwide suspension of such training since the program began, marking an unprecedented development.
Ranger personnel are regarded as the elite within the GSDF, expected to take on frontline missions in the event of an emergency. Their training is considered the most demanding within the force, and only those who complete a rigorous three-month course are awarded the Ranger designation.
According to sources, nearly all units across Japan have halted the selection and training of new Rangers this fiscal year. The move comes after a series of fatal accidents during Ranger training exercises. In 2021, a male officer in Kumamoto Prefecture died of heatstroke, followed by a similar incident last August in Kyoto Prefecture.
Insiders revealed that in some cases, instructors had been independently determining training procedures, and safety management protocols mandated by the GSDF had not been properly followed.
Regarding the suspension, the GSDF explained it had become necessary to reassess the capabilities expected of Ranger personnel in light of "changing circumstances."
Going forward, the GSDF plans to review its training content with a focus on preventing future accidents, and will determine when to resume Ranger training based on the results of this review.
This is the first time since the launch of the Ranger training program in 1958 that such a long-term and wide-scale suspension has been implemented.
Meanwhile, ongoing training for personnel already qualified as Rangers will continue as usual.
Source: TBS
