tary service; enlistees
under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Israel
17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary
(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are
eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36
months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Italy
voluntary military service; conscription abolished January
2005 (2006)

Jamaica
18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger
recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Japan
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are
required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can
volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)

Kazakhstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - two years; minimum age for volunteers
NA (2004)

Kenya
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Korea, North
17 years of age (2004)

Korea, South
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the
military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military
service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned
officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since
1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry,
but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps
(2005)

Kuwait
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; 1 month annual training to age 40; women have served in
police forces since 1999 (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos
15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Latvia
19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers;
plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an
all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is
entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)

Lebanon
18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Lesotho
18 years of age (est.);