Family Support and Mental Health Care for the Japan Self-Defense Force Personnel

Since 1992, Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) has engaged in various types of new missions overseas, stretching globally from Haiti to Golan Heights, Iraq, Sudan and Gulf of Aden.  The 3.11 East Japan Great Earthquake in 2011, subsequent tsunami, and nuclear power plant disaster in Fukushima, resulted in the largest-ever domestic disaster relief operation in the JSDF history, mobilizing more than 100,000 personnel at its peak.  Given the increased operational tempo, JSDF have tried to improve institutional family support and mental health care programs.  This paper describes how the social-psychological support programs have developed, focusing on the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).  In particular, I examine the institutional programs of the Family Support Center, Mental Support Center, and a “Mobile Counseling”, or outreach program, to provide mental health care to JGSDF personnel and their families in the Hokkaido area.  Also, the effectiveness of the institutional programs from the soldiers and their families’ perspective will be examined, based on both quantitative and qualitative data, including interviews of military families.  In conclusion, relevance of "community capacity" model will be discussed in terms of enhancement of social support networks for the JSDF families.