Japan Defense Agency
Encyclopedia
The is a cabinet
-level ministry of the Japanese government
. As a result of a law enacted on December 15, 2006, it became a ministry on January 9, 2007. Prior to that, it was the Japan Defense Agency (JDA) (防衛庁, Bōei-chō). It is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo
, and is the largest organ of the Japanese government: in 2005, fixed personnel numbered 276,890, including 253,180 active troops.
The Ministry of Defense, as cabinet-level ministry, is required by Article 66 of the constitution
to be completely subordinate to civilian authority
. Its head, the Minister of Defense, is assisted by a senior vice minister, two parliamentary secretaries, an administrative vice minister, eight directors-general, chief of staff
of the Joint Staff office and three branch chiefs of staff.
The highest figure in the command structure is the prime minister, who is responsible directly to the Diet
. In a national emergency, the prime minister is authorized to order the various components of the Self-Defense Forces
into action, subject to the consent of the Diet. In times of extreme emergency, that approval might be obtained after the fact.
The Ministry of Defense is headquartered in Ichigaya
, Tokyo
, on a site which housed the Ichigaya Military Academy (市ヶ谷陸軍士官校), built in 1874, the GHQ of the Imperial Japanese Army
before and during World War II
, and of the Ground Self-Defense Force
following the war. Until May 2000, the JDA was based in Akasaka
: this land is now occupied by the Tokyo Midtown.
The Japan Defense Agency was established on July 1, 1954. It took its present name and status as a ministry on January 9, 2007.
In the 1980s, efforts were also under way to facilitate a clear and efficient command policy in the event of a crisis. The government stood by the principle that military action was permitted only under civilian control, but in recognition that delay for consultation might prove dangerous, ships of the Maritime Self-Defense Force
(MSDF) began to be armed with live torpedoes, and fighter-interceptors were allowed to carry missiles at all times. Although aircraft had long been allowed to force down intruders without waiting for permission from the prime minister, ships were still required to receive specific orders before interdicting invading vessels. The Defense Agency had recommended drawing up more complete guidelines to clarify what action SDF combat units could take in emergencies.
Cooperation between the SDF and other civilian agencies in contingency planning is limited. No plans exist to ensure the support of civilian aircraft and merchant fleets in times of crisis, even though the SDF transportation capabilities are generally judged inadequate. In 1990 legislation was being studied to provide the SDF with the ability to respond in emergency situations not specifically covered by Article 76 of the Self-Defense Forces Law.
SDF training includes instilling a sense of mission. Personnel are provided with the scientific and technical education to operate and maintain modern equipment and with the physical training necessary to accomplish their missions.
Modern equipment is gradually replacing obsolescent matériel in the SDF. In 1987 the Defense Agency replaced its communications system (which formerly had relied on telephone lines of the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) with a microwave network incorporating a three-dimensional transmission system using a communications satellite. Despite efforts to increase stocks, however, supplies of ammunition and maintenance and repair parts in 1990 remained at less than satisfactory levels.
The Diet had passed into law the change of status of the Defense Agency to a Cabinet-level Defense Ministry. The Diet's upper house had voted by a majority, including the opposition Democratic Party of Japan
, to amend the change. Bills on transition to the Ministry of Defense became laws on December 15, 2006. Only the Japanese Communist Party
and the Social Democratic Party
opposed the change, claiming that it can lead Japan into a future war. The MOD was formally established on January 9, 2007. Subsequently, its Defense Facilities Administrative Agency was integrated into the MOD.
In July 2007, the MOD building was attacked by a 21-year-old right-wing activist
, who threw a Molotov cocktail
in the direction of the building, after forcing his way through the main gate.
was established. The council is presided over by the prime minister and includes the ministers of state specified in advance in Article 9 of the Cabinet Law; the foreign minister
, the finance minister
, the chief cabinet secretary, the defense minister, the chairman of the National Public Safety Commission. The chairman of the Security Council also can invite the Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Office and any other relevant state minister or official to attend. Replacing the National Defense Council, which had acted as an advisory group on defense-related matters since 1956, the Security Council addresses a wider range of military and nonmilitary security issues, including basic national defense policy, the National Defense Program Outline, the outline on coordinating industrial production and other matters related to the National Defense Program Outline, and decisions on diplomatic initiatives and defense operations.
in the Ministry of Defense.
Chiefs of Staff
Internal Bureaus
Councils & Boards
Facilities
Special Organizations
Military Branches
External Agency
(SDF). Its senior officer is the chief of staff of the Joint Staff office. Its principal functions are to advise the defense minister and to plan and execute joint exercises. The three branches maintain staff offices to manage operations in their branches. Although rank establishes echelons of command within the SDF, all three branches are immediately responsible to the defense minister and are coequal bodies with the Joint Staff Office and the three staff offices.
This structure precludes the concentration of power of the pre-1945 general staffs, but it impedes interservice coordination, and there are few formal exchanges among commanders from various branches. Moreover, some dissatisfaction has been reported by highranking officers who feel they have little power compared with younger civilian officials in the bureaus, who most often have no military experience. To rectify this situation and to increase input by the SDF in policy matters, in the early 1980s the Joint Staff Council was enlarged to establish better lines of communication between the internal bureaus and the three staff offices. A computerized central command and communications system and various tactical command and communications systems were established, linking service and field headquarters with general headquarters at the Defense Ministry and with one another.
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
-level ministry of the Japanese government
Government of Japan
The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the 1947 constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected...
. As a result of a law enacted on December 15, 2006, it became a ministry on January 9, 2007. Prior to that, it was the Japan Defense Agency (JDA) (防衛庁, Bōei-chō). It is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Shinjuku, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population...
, and is the largest organ of the Japanese government: in 2005, fixed personnel numbered 276,890, including 253,180 active troops.
The Ministry of Defense, as cabinet-level ministry, is required by Article 66 of the constitution
Constitution of Japan
The is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted on 3 May, 1947 as a new constitution for postwar Japan.-Outline:The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights...
to be completely subordinate to civilian authority
Civilian control of the military
Civilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country's strategic decision-making in the hands of the civilian political leadership, rather than professional military officers. One author, paraphrasing Samuel P...
. Its head, the Minister of Defense, is assisted by a senior vice minister, two parliamentary secretaries, an administrative vice minister, eight directors-general, chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
of the Joint Staff office and three branch chiefs of staff.
The highest figure in the command structure is the prime minister, who is responsible directly to the Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
. In a national emergency, the prime minister is authorized to order the various components of the Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
into action, subject to the consent of the Diet. In times of extreme emergency, that approval might be obtained after the fact.
History
Ichigaya
Ichigaya is an area in the eastern portion of Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.-Places in Ichigaya:*Hosei University Ichigaya Campus*Chuo University Graduate School...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, on a site which housed the Ichigaya Military Academy (市ヶ谷陸軍士官校), built in 1874, the GHQ of the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
before and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and of the Ground Self-Defense Force
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
The , or JGSDF, is the army of Japan. The largest of the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Ground Self-Defense Force operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichigaya, Tokyo. The present chief of ground staff is General Yoshifumi Hibako...
following the war. Until May 2000, the JDA was based in Akasaka
Akasaka, Tokyo
is a residential and commercial district of Minato, Tokyo, located west of the government center in Nagatachō and north of the Roppongi nightlife district....
: this land is now occupied by the Tokyo Midtown.
The Japan Defense Agency was established on July 1, 1954. It took its present name and status as a ministry on January 9, 2007.
In the 1980s, efforts were also under way to facilitate a clear and efficient command policy in the event of a crisis. The government stood by the principle that military action was permitted only under civilian control, but in recognition that delay for consultation might prove dangerous, ships of the Maritime Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
(MSDF) began to be armed with live torpedoes, and fighter-interceptors were allowed to carry missiles at all times. Although aircraft had long been allowed to force down intruders without waiting for permission from the prime minister, ships were still required to receive specific orders before interdicting invading vessels. The Defense Agency had recommended drawing up more complete guidelines to clarify what action SDF combat units could take in emergencies.
Cooperation between the SDF and other civilian agencies in contingency planning is limited. No plans exist to ensure the support of civilian aircraft and merchant fleets in times of crisis, even though the SDF transportation capabilities are generally judged inadequate. In 1990 legislation was being studied to provide the SDF with the ability to respond in emergency situations not specifically covered by Article 76 of the Self-Defense Forces Law.
SDF training includes instilling a sense of mission. Personnel are provided with the scientific and technical education to operate and maintain modern equipment and with the physical training necessary to accomplish their missions.
Modern equipment is gradually replacing obsolescent matériel in the SDF. In 1987 the Defense Agency replaced its communications system (which formerly had relied on telephone lines of the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) with a microwave network incorporating a three-dimensional transmission system using a communications satellite. Despite efforts to increase stocks, however, supplies of ammunition and maintenance and repair parts in 1990 remained at less than satisfactory levels.
The Diet had passed into law the change of status of the Defense Agency to a Cabinet-level Defense Ministry. The Diet's upper house had voted by a majority, including the opposition Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
, to amend the change. Bills on transition to the Ministry of Defense became laws on December 15, 2006. Only the Japanese Communist Party
Japanese Communist Party
The Japanese Communist Party is a left-wing political party in Japan.The JCP advocates the establishment of a society based on socialism, democracy and peace, and opposition to militarism...
and the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Japan)
The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan (abbreviated to SDPJ or SDP in English) is a political party that advocates for the establishment of a...
opposed the change, claiming that it can lead Japan into a future war. The MOD was formally established on January 9, 2007. Subsequently, its Defense Facilities Administrative Agency was integrated into the MOD.
In July 2007, the MOD building was attacked by a 21-year-old right-wing activist
Uyoku dantai
Uyoku dantai are Japanese nationalist right-wing groups.In 1996, the National Police Agency estimated that there are over 1000 right wing groups in Japan with about 100,000 members in total.-Tennō period:...
, who threw a Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
in the direction of the building, after forcing his way through the main gate.
Security Council
In July 1986, the Security CouncilSecurity Council (Japan)
The of Japan is the nine-person national security council which advises the prime minister on national security and the military and deals with a wide spectrum of issues which indirectly affect Japan's broader interests, including basic national defense policy, the National Defense Program...
was established. The council is presided over by the prime minister and includes the ministers of state specified in advance in Article 9 of the Cabinet Law; the foreign minister
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Japan)
The of Japan is the Cabinet member responsible for Japanese foreign policy and the chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Since the end of the American occupation of Japan, the position has been one of the most powerful in the Cabinet, as Japan's economic interests have long relied on...
, the finance minister
Minister of Finance (Japan)
The is the member of the Cabinet of Japan in charge of the Ministry of Finance. This position was formerly cited as being Japan's most powerful and one of the world's, because Japan had historically held the largest foreign exchange reserves...
, the chief cabinet secretary, the defense minister, the chairman of the National Public Safety Commission. The chairman of the Security Council also can invite the Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Office and any other relevant state minister or official to attend. Replacing the National Defense Council, which had acted as an advisory group on defense-related matters since 1956, the Security Council addresses a wider range of military and nonmilitary security issues, including basic national defense policy, the National Defense Program Outline, the outline on coordinating industrial production and other matters related to the National Defense Program Outline, and decisions on diplomatic initiatives and defense operations.
Bureaus
The internal bureaus, especially the Secretariat of the Minister of Defense, Bureau of Defense Policy, Bureau of Operational Policy, Bureau of Personnel and Education, and the Bureau of Finance and Equipment, are often headed by officials from other ministries and are the main centers of power and instruments of civilian controlCivilian control of the military
Civilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country's strategic decision-making in the hands of the civilian political leadership, rather than professional military officers. One author, paraphrasing Samuel P...
in the Ministry of Defense.
Organization
Executive Staff- Minister of DefenseMinister of Defense (Japan)The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Defense, formerly known as the Defence Agency before 2007. The current Japanese Minister of Defense is Yasuo Ichikawa, a member of the DPJ. Yasuo Ichikawa has been the Minister of Defense since 2 September 2011...
- the chief of the Ministry of Defense, and a member of the cabinet. (防衛大臣) - Senior Vice-Minister of Defense (防衛副大臣)
- Parliamentary Secretary of Defense (2) (防衛大臣政務官)
- Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense (防衛事務次官)
- Director-General of Defense (8) (防衛参事官)
Chiefs of Staff
- Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Office = the highest ranking officer of the Self Defense Forces. (統合幕僚長)
- Chief of Staff of the Ground Self-Defense ForceJapan Ground Self-Defense ForceThe , or JGSDF, is the army of Japan. The largest of the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Ground Self-Defense Force operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichigaya, Tokyo. The present chief of ground staff is General Yoshifumi Hibako...
(陸上幕僚長） - Chief of Staff of the Maritime Self Defense Force (海上幕僚長)
- Chief of Staff of the Air Self Defense Force (航空幕僚長)
Internal Bureaus
- Secretariat of the Minister of Defense (大臣官房)
- Bureau of Defense Policy (防衛政策局)
- Bureau of Operational Policy (運用企画局)
- Bureau of Personnel and Education (人事教育局)
- Bureau of Finance and Equipment (経理装備局)
Councils & Boards
- Defense Procurement Council (防衛調達審議会)
- Central Council on Defense Facilities (防衛施設中央審議会)
- Defense Personnel Review Board (防衛人事審議会)
- Self-Defense Forces Ethics Review Board (自衛隊倫理審査会)
Facilities
- National Defense AcademyNational Defense Academy of Japan, abbreviated is a four-year university-level military academy aimed to educate and train students who will be officers in three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces...
(防衛大学校) - National Defense Medical CollegeNational Defense Medical CollegeThe is Japan's six-year university-level military academy under control of the Ministry of Defense whose objectives are to train future military officers who are also medical doctors and current military doctors with advanced level of theory and application of medical sciences required to conduct...
(防衛医科大学校) - National Institute for Defense Studies (防衛研究所)
Special Organizations
- Joint Staff Office (統合幕僚監部)
- Ground Staff Office (陸上幕僚監部)
- Maritime Staff Office (海上幕僚監部)
- Air Staff Office (航空幕僚監部)
- Defense Intelligence HeadquartersDefense Intelligence HeadquartersThe is the official signals intelligence agency of the Japanese government, under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Defense. It is currently one of the biggest Japanese intelligence agencies with its creation and structure modeled after the American Defense Intelligence...
(情報本部) - Technical Research and Development Institute (技術研究本部)
- Equipment Procurement and Construction Office (装備施設本部)
Military Branches
- Ground Self-Defense ForceJapan Ground Self-Defense ForceThe , or JGSDF, is the army of Japan. The largest of the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Ground Self-Defense Force operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichigaya, Tokyo. The present chief of ground staff is General Yoshifumi Hibako...
(陸上自衛隊) - Maritime Self-Defense ForceJapan Maritime Self-Defense ForceThe , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
(海上自衛隊) - Air Self-Defense ForceJapan Air Self-Defense ForceThe , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
(航空自衛隊)
External Agency
- Defense Facilities Administration Agency (防衛施設庁)(defunct)
Uniformed staff
Below these civilian groups is the uniformed Self-Defense ForcesJapan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
(SDF). Its senior officer is the chief of staff of the Joint Staff office. Its principal functions are to advise the defense minister and to plan and execute joint exercises. The three branches maintain staff offices to manage operations in their branches. Although rank establishes echelons of command within the SDF, all three branches are immediately responsible to the defense minister and are coequal bodies with the Joint Staff Office and the three staff offices.
This structure precludes the concentration of power of the pre-1945 general staffs, but it impedes interservice coordination, and there are few formal exchanges among commanders from various branches. Moreover, some dissatisfaction has been reported by highranking officers who feel they have little power compared with younger civilian officials in the bureaus, who most often have no military experience. To rectify this situation and to increase input by the SDF in policy matters, in the early 1980s the Joint Staff Council was enlarged to establish better lines of communication between the internal bureaus and the three staff offices. A computerized central command and communications system and various tactical command and communications systems were established, linking service and field headquarters with general headquarters at the Defense Ministry and with one another.