NARASHINO, Chiba Pref. -- The First Airborne Brigade is widely known as Japan's toughest Ground Self-Defense Force unit. But a recent two-day training session for "new recruits" did not appear to be as rigorous as its reputation.

Women tour the Narashino camp in Chiba Prefecture.

The 25 female trainees in their starched camouflage fatigues were not real recruits -- they were students, teachers, civil servants and office workers.

They were lifted by wire up an 83-meter tower as part of parachute training -- which probably seemed more like an amusement park attraction to them -- and took in the obstacle course at the GSDF camp, climbing a 2-meter-high wall and crawling on the ground.

Real rangers usually do 15 rounds of the course at full speed.

Deepening the public's understanding of the Self-Defense Forces and maintaining a stable personnel level are among the most important tasks for the forces, which have often faced a public cold shoulder and even hostility because of their controversial existence under the war-renouncing Constitution.

Defense Agency public affairs officials have organized the two-day SDF tour for young women every year since 1993. The tour was conducted last month at SDF camps in Chiba Prefecture.

During the two-day tour, participants visit facilities and experience training at camps of the Air, Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces. Opportunities are also arranged for them to talk with active service members.

Tour applicants are limited to women in their 20s.

"Opinion polls have shown that young women are especially indifferent to the SDF and national defense in general," said tour organizer GSDF Maj. Fumiaki Hamasaki.

Approaching women is an effective way to inform the public of the SDF, because "young women are the most active in making trends in society," he said.

A GSDF official also said the tour aims to boost awareness amid the nation's declining birthrate.

"If we have future mothers well-informed about the SDF, they would not be shocked when their children say they want to join the SDF," the official reckoned.

"It is certain that we will have fewer children in the future," Hamasaki said.

However, thanks to the public affairs efforts and the prolonged economic slump, the SDF has seen a surge in the number of people wanting to sign up in recent years, the agency said.

In fiscal 1998, 5,409 women applied for 662 private 2nd class openings, while 1,352 applied for 15 cadet slots.

Those who think twice after passing the exam or who quit soon after enlisting have become rare recently, Hamasaki said.

There were four times as many applicants for the annual tour than could be accommodated, so the women had to compete for the slots. For the screening, they were required to write an essay on why they were interested in the tour.

Mika Akashi, a 27-year-old participant from Osaka, said she once thought of joining the SDF but gave up because training seemed too tough.

But after talking with female SDF members during the tour, she said, "Now I think I should have joined the SDF."

With or without the SDF's bid to gain supporters among those thought to be least interested, many participants appear to have already been SDF fans.

"I kind of felt like I can leave everything to them in the event of an emergency," said one participant after the tour. "Because they are so cool."