Japan Self-Defense Forces 自衛隊
Military manpower
Military age	18 years of age
Availability	males age 18-49: 27,003,112 (2005 est.)
Fit for military service	males 22,234,663 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually	males: 683,147 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure	$45.841 billion (2004)
Percent of GDP	1% (2004)
Cited from [1]

The Japan Self-Defense Forces (自衛隊, Jieitai^?), or JSDF, are the military forces in Japan that were established after the end of World War II. The force has been engaged in no real combat but has been engaged in some international peacekeeping operations.^[2] Recent tensions particularly with North Korea^[3] and the People's Republic of China^[4], have reignited the debate over the status of the SDF and its relation to society. ^[5] Image File history File links Flag_of_JSDF.svg ファイルの概要 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Flag of Japan Japan Self-Defense Forces ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Norwegian Blue Helmet during the Siege of Sarajevo, 1992 - 1993, photo by Mikhail Evstafiev. ...

Personnel and organization

The JSDF numbered 239,430 in 2005 with 147,737 in the Ground Self-Defense Force, 44,327 in the Maritime Self-Defense Force, 45,517 in the Air Self-Defense Force, and 1,849 in the Joint Staff Council. Reserves numbered 57,899.^[6] 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Japanese Sailors stand in ranks aboard the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) training vessel JDS Kashima (TV 3508) in Pearl Harbor.

Download high resolution version (1200x787, 291 KB)Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (May 4, 2004) - Japanese Sailors aboard the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) training vessel JDS Kashima (TV 3508) stand in ranks after docking in Pearl Harbor. ... Download high resolution version (1200x787, 291 KB)Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (May 4, 2004) - Japanese Sailors aboard the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) training vessel JDS Kashima (TV 3508) stand in ranks after docking in Pearl Harbor. ... Satellite image of Pearl Harbor. ...

Chain of Command

• Prime Minister of Japan
  • Minister of State for Defense
    • Senior Vice-Minister for Defense
      • Branch Chiefs of Staff

The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku sōri daijin) is the English political nomenclature of the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. ...

Military branches

• Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army)
• Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy)
• Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air force)

JGSDF Central force head office in Itami, Japan Tank Type 74 of Japan Ground Self Defense Force The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) or Rikujou Jieitai (陸上自衛隊) is the name of the military ground forces (army) of Japan. ... Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_JSDF.svg ファイルの概要 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Flag of Japan Japan Self-Defense Forces ... The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ), or JMSDF, is the maritime branch of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, tasked with the naval defense of Japan and formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II.[1] The force is based strictly on defensive armament, lacking the... The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of WW1 A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Japan. ... The Japan Air Self-Defense Force ), or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. ... An air force is a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare. ... Image File history File links Rising_sun. ...

Military units

• Five armies,
• Five maritime districts, and
• Three air defense forces.

Main bases are located in Hokkaido, eastern Honshu, central and western Honshu and Shikoku, and Kyushu. For the dog breed, see Hokkaido (dog). ... todo mal de [ [ Shikoku ] ] a través del [ [ mar interior ] ], y noreste de [ [ Kyushu ] ] a través del [ [ estrecho de Kanmon ] ]. Es la séptima isla más grande, y la segunda isla populosa en el mundo después de [ [ Java (isla)|Java ] ] (véase [ [ lista de las islas de la población ] ]). < style=float del div... todo mal de [ [ Shikoku ] ] a través del [ [ mar interior ] ], y noreste de [ [ Kyushu ] ] a través del [ [ estrecho de Kanmon ] ]. Es la séptima isla más grande, y la segunda isla populosa en el mundo después de [ [ Java (isla)|Java ] ] (véase [ [ lista de las islas de la población ] ]). < style=float del div... Shikoku (四国, four provinces) is the smallest and least populous (4,141,955 as of 2005) of the four main islands of Japan. ... Kyushu region, Japan Kyushu (九州 kyÅ«shÅ«) is the third largest island of Japan and most southerly and westerly of the four main islands. ...

Based on the Self-Defense Forces Law of 1954, the nation's defense establishment is organized to ensure civilian control of the armed forces. The result has been a unique military system. All SDF personnel are technically civilians: those in uniform are classified as special civil servants and are subordinate to the ordinary civil servants who run the Defense Agency. There is no military secrets law, and offenses committed by military personnel—whether on base or off base, on duty or off duty, of military or nonmilitary nature—are all adjudicated under normal procedures by civil courts in appropriate jurisdictions.

Defense policy

Japan's Basic Policy for National Defense stipulates the following policies:^[7] Concerning national security, Japan is in the unusual position of being a major world economic and political power, with an aggressive military tradition, resisting the development of strong armed forces. ...

1. Maintaining an exclusive defense oriented policy.
2. To avoid becoming a major military power that might pose a threat to the world.
3. Refraining from the development of nuclear weapons, and to refuse to allow nuclear weapons inside Japanese territory.
4. Ensuring civilian control of the military.
5. Maintaining security arrangements with the United States.
6. Building up defensive capabilities within moderate limits.

Japan's USD $45.8 billion/year budget makes it the sixth largest military spender in the world, after the United States, People's Republic of China, Russia, United Kingdom and France. About 50% of that is spent on the personnel and the rest is split on supplies, new weapons, upgrades, etc. ^{[citation needed]} Portions of this article or section may be outdated. ...

As a reflection of the forces' role, the Japanese term 軍 (pronunciation: gun), referring to a military force, and the English terms "military", "army", "navy", and "air force" are never used in official references to the JSDF.

Article 9

The Japanese military is severely limited by Article 9 of the Japanese constitution which states: "The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes" and that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained." The exact limits of Article 9 is a controversial issue in Japan, but it has been interpreted as allowing for self-defense forces. Thus the JSDF has a very limited oversea capability, lacks long range offensive capabilities like long range Surface-to-surface missiles, air-refueling (as of 2004), Marines or amphibious units, large cache of ammunitions, or ROE (Rules of Engagement). The Constitution of Japan has the Article 9 No War clause. ... The present Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947, during the American occupation after the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (1889–1947) The first constitution in Japan was enacted by the Emperor during the Meiji Era... A surface-to-surface missile (SSM) is a guided projectile launched from a hand-held, vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation or from a ship. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Defense relations with the United States

Japan conducts a significant amount of cooperation with the United States, which in turn helps provide a significant portion of Japan's defensive capability.^[8] The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security declares that both nations will maintain and develop their capacities to resist armed attack in common. Also, it maintains that an armed attack on either country in territories administered by Japan will be considered dangerous to the safety of the other. However, Japan was relieved by its constitutional prohibition of participating in external military operations from any obligation to defend the United States if it were attacked outside of Japanese territories. The treaty also contains a status of forces agreement on the stationing of United States forces in Japan. There are currently 47,000 U.S. military personnel in Japan, and another 5,500 American civilians employed there by the United States Department of Defense. The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security (in Japanese, 日本国とアメリカ合衆国との間の相互協力及び安全保障条約, Treaty of mutual cooperation and security between Japan and the United States of America) was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington on January 19, 1960. ... A Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is an agreement between a country and a foreign nation stationing military forces in that country. ... United States Forces Japan (USFJ, Japanese: 在日米軍) refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated as DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ...

Recent reforms and developments

After North Korea test fired a Taepodong-1 ballistic missile over Japanese airspace^[9] in August 1998, subsequent North Korean tests^[10] as well as other issues contributing to rising tensions between the two countries^[11] have led to increased interest in Japan for a ballistic missile defense (BMD) system. Japan is in the process of deploying a multi-tiered BMD system comprising of upgraded Aegis vessels and Patriot PAC-3 missiles. Legislation that would allow authorities to authorize shooting down an incoming ballistic missile without first consulting the Diet is also being considered. In December 2004, Japan and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding creating a general cooperation framework for joint development of a sea-based BMD system.^[12] Taepodong-1 is a North Korean ICBM derived from the Scud-rocket. ... A payload launch vehicle carrying a prototype exoatmospheric kill vehicle is launched from Meck Island at the Kwajalein Missile Range on Dec. ... USS Lake Champlain, a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided missile cruiser, launched in 1987. ... Four Patriot missiles like the one shown here can be fired from this mobile launcher between loadings. ... The National Diet of Japan (国会; Kokkai) is Japans legislature. ...

In November 2005, constitutional revisions were proposed which would create a cabinet level Defense Ministry while keeping the old clauses mandating official pacifism. Under the proposed revisions, the JSDF would also be formally referred to as a military force for the first time since its establishment. The new wording proposed is "In order to secure peace and the independence of our country as well as the security of the state and the people, military forces for self-defense shall be maintained with the prime minister of the cabinet as the supreme commander." The amendment has widespread support and is expected to pass through the Diet as well as popular referendum. ^[13]

History

Japan's defeat in World War II had a profound and lasting effect on national attitudes toward war, the armed forces, and military involvement in politics. These attitudes were immediately apparent in the public's willing acceptance of total disarmament and demobilization after the war and in the alacrity with which all military leaders were removed from positions of influence in the state. Under General Douglas MacArthur of the United States Army, serving as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, and in concert with the wishes of most Japanese, occupation authorities were committed to the demilitarization and democratization of the nation. All clubs, schools, and societies associated with the military and martial skills were eliminated. The general staff was abolished, along with army and navy ministries and the Imperial Army and Imperial Navy. Industry serving the military also was dismantled. Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880 – April 5, 1964) was an American general and medal of honor recipient, who was Supreme Commander of Allied forces in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. He led the defense of Australia, and the recapture of New Guinea, the Philippines and Borneo. ... The Ministry of War of Japan (陸軍省 Rikugun shó) was established in the late 19th century, alongside many other Ministries, as part of the creation of the first modern Japanese government. ... The Japanese Naval Ministry was established at the end of the 19th century, along with the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). ... The Imperial Japanese Army (: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: 大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was the official ground based armed force of Japan from 1867 to 1945 when it was Imperial Japan. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ...

The trauma of defeat produced strong pacifist sentiments that found expression in the United States-fostered 1947 constitution, which, under Article 9, forever renounces war as an instrument for settling international disputes and declares that Japan will never again maintain "land, sea, or air forces or other war potential". Later cabinets interpreted these provisions as not denying the nation the right to self-defense and, with the encouragement of the United States, developed the SDF. Antimilitarist public opinion, however, remained a force to be reckoned with on any defense-related issue. The constitutional legitimacy of the SDF was challenged well into the 1970s, and even in the 1980s the government acted warily on defense matters lest residual antimilitarism be aggravated and a backlash result. ^[14] Antimilitarism is a doctrine commonly found in the anarchist and socialist movement, which may be both characterized as internationalist movements. ...

Early development

Deprived of any military capability after 1945, the nation had only occupation forces and a few domestic police on which to rely for security. Rising Cold War tensions in Europe and Asia, coupled with leftist-inspired strikes and demonstrations in Japan, prompted some conservative leaders to question the unilateral renunciation of all military capability. These sentiments were intensified in 1950 when most occupation troops were transferred to the Korean War (1950-53) theater, leaving Japan virtually helpless to counter internal disruption and subversion, and very much aware of the need to enter into a mutual defense relationship with the United States to guarantee the nation's external security. Encouraged by the occupation authorities, the Japanese government in July 1950 authorized the establishment of the National Police Reserve, consisting of 75,000 men equipped with light infantry weapons. Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders Douglas Macarthur Park Chang-Ju Jang Tak-Sang Kim Il Sung Oh Chol-Lyong Mun Dong-Gee Choi Un-Hyeok Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ...

Under the terms of the Mutual Security Assistance Pact, ratified in 1952 along with the peace treaty Japan had signed with the United States and other countries, United States forces stationed in Japan were to deal with external aggression against Japan while Japanese forces, both ground and maritime, would deal with internal threats and natural disasters. Accordingly, in mid-1952 the National Police Reserve was expanded to 110,000 men and named the National Safety Force. The Coastal Safety Force, which had been organized in 1950 as a waterborne counterpart to the National Police Reserve, was transferred with it to the National Safety Agency to constitute an embryonic navy. The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security (in Japanese, 日本国とアメリカ合衆国との間の相互協力及び安全保障条約, Treaty of mutual cooperation and security between Japan and the United States of America) was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington on January 19, 1960. ... Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru of Japan, gave a speech on Reconciliation and rapport (和解と信頼) in 1951 at San Francisco Peace conference. ...

As Japan perceived a growing external threat without adequate forces to counter it, the National Safety Force underwent further development that entailed difficult political problems. The war renunciation clause of the constitution was the basis for strong political objections to any sort of force other than conventional police. In 1954, however, separate land, sea, and air forces for purely defensive purposes were created, subject to the Office of the Prime Minister.

To avoid the appearance of a revival of militarism, Japan's leaders emphasized constitutional guarantees of civilian control of the government and armed forces and used nonmilitary terms for the organization and functions of the forces. The overall organization was called the Defense Agency rather than the Ministry of Defense. The armed forces were designated the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF), and the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF), instead of the army, navy, and air force. Japanese militarism (日本軍国主義) refers to militarism, the philosophical belief that military personnel (army or navy) should exercise full power in a nation. ... U.S. President Abraham Lincolns active involvement in the conduct of the American Civil War, which frequently involved pressing his generals to undertake more aggressive actions, set a precedent for the power of the civilian Commander-in-Chief. ...

Although possession of nuclear weapons is not forbidden in the constitution, Japan, as the only nation to experience the devastation of atomic attack, early expressed its abhorrence of nuclear arms and determined never to acquire them. The Basic Atomic Energy Law of 1956 limits research, development, and utilization of nuclear power to peaceful uses, and beginning in 1956, national policy has embodied "three non-nuclear principles"—forbidding the nation to possess or manufacture nuclear weapons or to allow them to be introduced into the nation. In 1976 Japan ratified the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (adopted by the United Nations Security Council in 1968) and reiterated its intention never to "develop, use, or allow the transportation of nuclear weapons through its territory." Nonetheless, because of its generally high technology level and large number of operating nuclear power plants, Japan is generally considered to be "nuclear capable," i.e., that it could develop a usable weapon in a short period of time if the political situation changed significantly.^[14] The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Opened for signature July 1, 1968 in New York Entered into force March 5, 1970 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and 40 other signatory states. ... The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations (UN). ... A nuclear power station. ...

Uniforms, ranks, and insignia

Main article: Military ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

Uniforms in all three SDF branches are similar in style to those worn by United States forces. GSDF uniforms are gray-blue; MSDF personnel wore traditional blue dress, white service, and khaki work uniforms; and ASDF personnel wear the lighter shade of blue worn by the United States Air Force. The arm of service to which members of the ground force are attached is indicated by piping of distinctive colors: for infantry, red; artillery, yellow; armor, orange; engineers, violet; ordnance, light green; medical, green; army aviation, light blue; signals, blue; quartermaster, brown; transportation, dark violet; airborne, white; and others, dark blue. The cap badge insignia for all displays a dove of peace. ^{[citation needed]} This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

There are nine officer ranks in the active SDF, along with a warrant officer rank, five NCO ranks, and three enlisted ranks. The highest NCO rank, first sergeant (senior chief petty officer in the MSDF and senior master sergeant in the ASDF), was established in 1980 to provide more promotion opportunities and shorter terms of service as sergeant first class, chief petty officer, or master sergeant. Under the earlier system, the average NCO was promoted only twice in approximately thirty years of service and remained at the top rank for almost ten years. ^{[citation needed]}

Recruitment and conditions of service

The total strength of the three branches of the SDF was 246,400 in 1992. In addition, the SDF maintained a total of 48,400 reservists attached to the three services. Even when Japan's active and reserve components are combined, however, the country maintains a lower ratio of military personnel to its population than does any member nation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Of the major Asian nations, only India and Indonesia keep a lower ratio of personnel in arms. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ...

The SDF is an all-volunteer force. Conscription per se is not forbidden by law, but many citizens consider Article 18 of the constitution, which proscribes involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime, as a legal prohibition of any form of conscription. Even in the absence of so strict an interpretation, however, a military draft appears politically impossible.

SDF uniformed personnel are recruited as private, E-1, seaman recruit, and airman basic for a fixed term. Ground forces recruits normally enlist for two years; those seeking training in technical specialties enlist for three. Naval and air recruits normally enlist for three years. Officer candidates, students in the National Defense Academy and National Defense Medical College, and candidate enlist students in technical schools are enrolled for an indefinite period. The National Defense Academy and enlisted technical schools usually require an enrollment of four years, and the National Defense Medical College require six years. The Japan National Defense Academy is an academy aimed to educate and train cadets who will be officers in three services of the Self-Defense Forces of Japan. ...

When the SDF was originally formed, women were recruited exclusively for the nursing services. Opportunities were expanded somewhat when women were permitted to join the GSDF communication service in 1967 and the MSDF and ASDF communication services in 1974. By 1991 more than 6,000 women were in the SDF, about 80 % of service areas, except those requiring direct exposure to combat, were open to them. The National Defense Medical College graduated its first class with women in March 1991, and the National Defense Academy began admitting women in FY 1992.

In the face of some continued post-World War II public apathy or antipathy toward the armed services, the SDF has difficulties in recruiting personnel. The SDF has to compete for qualified personnel with well-paying industries, and most enlistees are "persuaded" volunteers who sign up after solicitation from recruiters. Predominantly rural prefectures supply military enlistees far beyond the proportions of their populations. In areas such as southern Kyushu and Hokkaido, where employment opportunities are limited, recruiters are welcomed and supported by the citizens. In contrast, little success or cooperation is encountered in urban centers such as Tokyo and Osaka. Kyushu region, Japan Kyushu (九州 kyūshū) is the third largest island of Japan and most southerly and westerly of the four main islands. ... For the dog breed, see Hokkaido (dog). ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Osaka City Hall Mayor Junichi Seki Address 〒530-8201 Osaka-shi,Kita-ku Nakanoshima 1-3-20 Phone number 06-6208-8181 Official website: Osaka City , Osaka ) is the capital of Osaka Prefecture and the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ...

Because the forces are all volunteer and legally civilian, members can resign at any time, and retention is a problem. Many enlistees are lured away by the prospects of highly paying civilian jobs, and Defense Agency officials complain of private industries looting their personnel. The agency attempts to stop these practices by threats of sanctions for offending firms that hold defense contracts and by private agreements with major industrial firms. Given the nation's labor shortage, however, the problem is likely to continue. Instance of retaining (e. ...

Some older officers consider the members of the modern forces unequal to personnel of the former Imperial Army and Imperial Navy, but the SDF are generally regarded as professional and able. Compared with their counterparts in other nations, members of the SDF are remarkably well educated and in good physical condition. Literacy is universal, and school training was extensive. Personnel are trained in the martial arts, judo, and kendo, and physical standards are strict. The SDF probably does not attract the same high level of personnel as other institutions in Japan. Graduates of the top universities rarely enter the armed forces, and applicants to the National Defense Academy are generally considered to be on the level of those who apply to second-rank local universities. The Imperial Japanese Army (大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was in existence from the Meiji Reformation to the end of World War II. It was created to replace the traditional Japanese samurai with a modern Western-style conscript army. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) (大日本帝國海軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun) was the navy of Japan before 1945. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Judo (Japanese: 柔道, jÅ«dō; gentle way) is a martial art, sport, and philosophy originated in Japan. ... Kendo (剣 道 Kendō) or way of the sword, is the martial art of Japanese fencing. ...

General conditions of military life are not such that a career in the SDF seems an attractive alternative to one in private industry or the bureaucracy. The conditions of service provide less dignity, prestige, and comfort than they had before World War II, and for most members of the defense establishment, military life offers less status than did a civilian occupation. Those people who enter the SDF are often unfairly perceived by the citizenry as unable to find a better job. The Japanese civil service boasts over one million employees, with 400,000 workers in postal service, or Japan Post (since 2003), being the biggest part. ...

As special civil servants, SDF personnel are paid according to civilian pay scales that do not always distinguish rank. At times, SDF salaries are greater for subordinates than for commanding officers; senior NCOs with long service can earn more than newly promoted colonels. Pay raises are not included in Defense Agency budgets and can not be established by military planners. Retirement ages for officers below flag rank range from fifty-three to fifty-five years, and from fifty to fifty-three for enlisted personnel. Limits are sometimes extended because of personnel shortages. In the late 1980s, the Defense Agency, concerned about the difficulty of finding appropriate postretirement employment for these early retirees, began providing vocational training for enlisted personnel about to retire and transferring them to units close to the place where they intend to retire. Beginning in October 1987, the Self-Defense Forces Job Placement Association provided free job placement and reemployment support for retired SDF personnel. Retirees also receive pensions immediately upon retirement, some ten years earlier than most civil service personnel. Financing the retirement system promises to be a problem of increasing scope in the 1990s, with the aging of the population. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ...

SDF personnel benefits are not comparable to such benefits for active-duty military personnel in other major industrialized nations. Health care is provided at the SDF Central Hospital, fourteen regional hospitals, and 165 clinics in military facilities and on board ship, but the health care only covers physical examinations and the treatment of illness and injury suffered in the course of duty. There are no commissary or exchange privileges. Housing is often substandard, and military appropriations for facilities maintenance often focus on appeasing civilian communities near bases rather than on improving on-base facilities.^[14] Health care or healthcare is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions [1]. The organised provision of such services may constitute a healthcare system. ...

Missions and deployments

Despite the nation's status as a major world power, Japan eschewed responsibility for regional defense. Having renounced war, the possession of war potential, the right of belligerency, and the possession of nuclear weaponry, it held the view that it should possess only the minimum defense necessary to face external threats. Within those limits, the Self-Defense Forces Law of 1954 provides the basis from which various formulations of SDF missions have been derived. The law states that ground, maritime, and air forces are to preserve the peace and independence of the nation and to maintain national security by conducting operations on land, at sea, and in the air to defend the nation against direct and indirect aggression. A belligerent is Nick Terlz. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ...

The general framework through which these missions are to be accomplished is set forth in the Basic Policy for National Defense adopted by the cabinet in 1957; it remains in force. According to this document, the nation's security would be achieved by supporting the United Nations Organization (UN) and promoting international cooperation, by stabilizing domestic affairs and enhancing public welfare, by gradually developing an effective self-defense capability, and by dealing with external aggression on the basis of Japan-United States security arrangements, pending the effective functioning of the UN. The Cabinet (内閣, Naikaku) is the executive branch of the government of Japan. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The very general terms in which military missions are couched left specifics open to wide interpretation and prompted the criticism that the nation did not possess a military strategy. In the 1976 National Defense Program Outline, the cabinet sought to define missions more specifically by setting guidelines for the nation's readiness, including specific criteria for the maintenance and operation of the SDF. Under these guidelines, in cases of limited and small-scale attack, Japanese forces would respond promptly to control the situation. If enemy forces attacked in greater strength than Japan could counter alone, the SDF would engage the attacker until the United States could come to its aid. Against nuclear threat, Japan would rely on the nuclear deterrence of the United States. To accomplish its missions, the SDF would maintain surveillance, be prepared to respond to direct and indirect attacks, be capable of providing command, communication, logistics, and training support, and be available to aid in disaster relief.

The outline specified quotas of personnel and equipment for each force that were deemed necessary to meet its tasks. Particular elements of each force's mission were also identified. The GSDF was to defend against ground invasion and threats to internal security, be able to deploy to any part of the nation, and protect the bases of all three services of the Self-Defense Forces. The MSDF was to meet invasion by sea, sweep mines, patrol and survey the surrounding waters, and guard and defend coastal waters, ports, bays, and major straits. The ASDF was to render aircraft and missile interceptor capability, provide support fighter units for maritime and ground operations, supply air reconnaissance and air transport for all forces, and maintain airborne and stationary early warning units.

The Mid-Term Defense Estimate for FY 1986 through FY 1990 envisioned a modernized SDF with an expanded role. While maintaining Japan-United States security arrangements and the exclusively defensive policy mandated by the constitution, this program undertook moderate improvements in Japanese defense capabilities. Among its specific objectives were bettering air defense by improving and modernizing interceptor-fighter aircraft and surface-to-air missiles, improving antisubmarine warfare capability with additional destroyers and fixed-wing antisubmarine patrol aircraft, and upgrading intelligence, reconnaissance, and command, control, and communications. Most of the goals of this program were met, and the goals of the Mid-Term Defense Estimate for FY 1991 through FY 1995, although building on the early progam, were considerably scaled back.

The SDF disaster relief role is defined in Article 83 of the Self-Defense Forces Law of 1954, requiring units to respond to calls for assistance from prefectural governors to aid in fire fighting, earthquake disasters, searches for missing persons, rescues, and reinforcement of embankments and levees in the event of flooding. The SDF has not been used in police actions, nor is it likely to be assigned any internal security tasks in the future.^[14] Emergency operations or Emergency preparedness is a set of doctrines to prepare civil society to cope with natural or man-made disasters. ...

Peacekeeping

In June 1992, the National Diet passed a UN Peacekeeping Cooperation Law which permitted the SDF to participate in UN medical, refugee aid, transportation, infrastructural repair, election-monitoring, and policing operations under strictly limited conditions. The noncombat participation of SDF personnel in conjunction with Japanese diplomatic efforts contributed in large part to the successful elections in Cambodia and to a peaceful resolution of the situation there. In May 1993, fifty-three members of the SDF were sent to Mozambique to participate in UN peacekeeping operations. Nevertheless, the dispatching of SDF personnel outside Japan's borders remained a controversial issue, and members of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the major opposition party, and other parties in the Diet continue to oppose the foreign mobilization of SDF personnel, even to rescue endangered Japanese citizens. The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ...

The first overseas deployment without an UN agreement occurred in 2004. The troops were sent to Iraq as peace keepers. In 2005 they briefly assisted the people of Indonesia following the Tsunami. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The tsunami that struck Malé in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ...

In 2004, the Japanese government ordered a deployment of troops to Iraq at the behest of the United States: A contingent of the Japan Self-Defense Forces was sent in order to assist the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. ^[15]This controversial deployment marked a significant turning point in Japan's history as it is the first time since the end of World War II that Japan sent troops abroad except for a few minor UN peacekeeping deployments. As article 9 of the Constitution of Japan prohibits Japan from using force, this intervention is considered illegal by many. In 2004, the Japanese government ordered a deployment of troops to Iraq at the behest of the United States: A contingent of the Japan Self-Defense Forces was sent in order to assist the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. ...

Public opinion regarding this deployment was sharply divided, especially given that Japan's military is constitutionally structured as solely a self-defense force, and operating in Iraq seemed at best tenuously connected to that mission. The Koizumi administration, however, decided to send troops to respond to a request from the US.^[14] Junichiro Koizumi , born January 8, 1942) is the current Prime Minister of Japan. ...

Role in national life

The Defense Agency, aware that it could not accomplish its programs without popular support, paid close attention to public opinion. Although the Japanese people retained a lingering suspicion of the armed services, in the late 1980s antimilitarism had moderated, compared with its form in the early 1950s when the SDF was established. At that time, fresh from the terrible defeat of World War II, most people had ceased to believe that the military could maintain peace or serve the national interest. By the mid-1970s, memories of World War II had faded, and a growing number of people believed that Japan's military and diplomatic roles should reflect its rapidly growing economic strength. At the same time, United States-Soviet strategic contention in the area around Japan had increased. In 1976 Defense Agency director general Sakata Michita called upon the cabinet to adopt the National Defense Program Outline to improve the quality of the armed forces and more clearly define their strictly defensive role. For this program to gain acceptance, Sakata had to agree to a ceiling on military expenditures of 1 % of the gross national product (GNP) and a prohibition on exporting weapons and military technology. The outline was adopted by the cabinet and, according to public opinion polls, was approved by approximately 60 % of the people. Throughout the remainder of the 1970s and into the 1980s, the quality of the SDF improved and public approval of the improved forces went up. The Japan Defense Agency (防衛庁; bouei-cho) is an agency in the Cabinet of Japan. ... Antimilitarism is a doctrine commonly found in the anarchist and socialist movement, which may be both characterized as internationalist movements. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their alliance partners. ... Measures of national income and output are used in economics to estimate the value of goods and services produced in an economy. ...

In November 1982, when the Defense Agency's former director general, Nakasone Yasuhiro, became prime minister, he was under strong pressure from the United States and other Western nations to move toward a more assertive defense policy in line with Japan's status as a major world economic and political power. Strong antimilitarist sentiment remained in Japanese public opinion, however, especially in the opposition parties. Nakasone chose a compromise solution, gradually building up the SDF and steadily increasing defense spending while guarding against being drawn beyond self-defense into collective security. In 1985 he developed the Mid-Term Defense Estimate. Although that program had general public backing, its goals could not be met while retaining the ceiling of 1 % of GNP on military spending, which still had strong public support. At first the government tried to get around the problem by deferring payment, budgeting only the initial costs of major military hardware. But by late 1986, it had become obvious that the 1 % ceiling had to be superseded. Thus, on January 24, 1987, in an extraordinary night meeting, the cabinet abandoned this ceiling. A March 1987 Asahi Shimbun poll indicated that this move was made in defiance of public opinion: only 15 % approved the removal of the ceiling and 61 % disapproved. But a January 1988 poll conducted by the Office of the Prime Minister reported that 58 % approved the defense budget of 1.004 % of GNP for fiscal year 1987. Yasuhiro Nakasone Yasuhiro Nakasone (中曽根 康弘 Nakasone Yasuhiro, b. ... The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku sōri daijin) is the English political nomenclature of the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Asahi-OSAKA office Asahi is a common name in Japan, for other uses see Asahi. ...

During 1987 the Japanese government reviewed ways in which it could assist friendly forces in protecting shipping in the Persian Gulf. Several possibilities were seriously considered, including sending minesweepers to the gulf. But, in the end, the government determined that sending any military forces to the gulf would be unacceptable to the Japanese people. Instead, the Japanese government agreed to fund the installation of radio navigation guides for gulf shipping. This article describes the structure of the Japanese Government. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... USS Pivot (AM 276) World War II United States Admirable Class Minesweeper shown in the Gulf of Mexico on sea trials 12 July 1944 Image:Hameln Class. ...

Appreciation of the SDF continued to grow in the 1980s, with over half of the respondents in a 1988 survey voicing an interest in the SDF and over 76 % indicating that they were favorably impressed. Although the majority (63.5 %) of respondents were aware that the primary purpose of the SDF was maintenance of national security, an even greater number (77 %) saw disaster relief as the most useful SDF function. The SDF therefore continued to devote much of its time and resources to disaster relief and other civic action. Between 1984 and 1988, at the request of prefectural governors, the SDF assisted in approximately 3,100 disaster relief operations, involving about 138,000 personnel, 16,000 vehicles, 5,300 aircraft, and 120 ships and small craft. In addition, the SDF participated in earthquake disaster prevention operations and disposed of a large quantity of World War II explosive ordnance, especially in Okinawa. The forces also participated in public works projects, cooperated in managing athletic events, took part in annual Antarctic expeditions, and conducted aerial surveys to report on ice conditions for fishermen and on geographic formations for construction projects. Especially sensitive to maintaining harmonious relations with communities close to defense bases, the SDF built new roads, irrigation networks, and schools in those areas. Soundproofing was installed in homes and public buildings near airfields. Despite these measures, local resistance to military installations remained strong in some areas. ^[14] Concerning national security, Japan is in the unusual position of being a major world economic and political power, with an aggressive military tradition, resisting the development of strong armed forces. ... This article is about the prefecture. ... Greek ἀνταρκτικός, opposite the arctic) is a continent surrounding the Earths South Pole. ...

List of notable JSDF figures

• Yuji Fujinawa
• Yanai Shinsaku

General Yuji Fujinawa (born 22 September 1941) is the Chairman of the Joint Staff Council of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces. ... Yanai Shinsaku was a major in the Self-Defence Forces of Japan. ...

In fiction

Further information: Fictional portrayals of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

The Japan Self-Defense Forces have been portrayed in several elements of popular culture. ...

See also

• Deployment of Japanese troops to Iraq
• Imperial Japanese Army
• Imperial Japanese Navy
• List of military aircraft of Japan
• Military history of Japan
• Japanese nationalism

In 2004, the Japanese government ordered a deployment of troops to Iraq at the behest of the United States: A contingent of the Japan Self-Defense Forces was sent in order to assist the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. ... The Imperial Japanese Army (: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: 大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was the official ground based armed force of Japan from 1867 to 1945 when it was Imperial Japan. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... This list of military aircraft of Japan includes prototype, pre-production and operational types regardless of era. ... The military history of Japan is characterized by a long period of feudal wars, followed by domestic stability, and then foreign conquest. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

References

Footnotes

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Do not change January 16 it preserves the date correctly formatted and stops robots from delinking it. ... The Country Studies are works published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress ( USA), freely available for use by researchers. ... The U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1789 by a constitutional convention, sets down the basic framework of American government in its seven articles. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... World Factbook 2005 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

• JDA Cabinet Office (Japanese)
• Japan Defense Agency (Japanese)
  • Joint Staff Council (Japanese)
  • Air Self-Defense Force Website (Japanese)