Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The , or JMSDF, is the naval

Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...

branch of the Japan 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...

, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy

Imperial Japanese Navy

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...

(IJN) after World War II.
The JMSDF has a large fleet with significant blue-water operating capabilities. Its main tasks are to maintain control of the nation's sea lanes and to patrol territorial waters. It has also stepped up its participation in UN-led peacekeeping

Peacekeeping

Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....

operations (PKOs) and Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOs).

The JMSDF has an official strength of 46,000 personnel (currently around 45,800 personnel), operating some 110 major warships, including 4 helicopter carriers, 16 submarines, 44 destroyers and frigates, 29 mine warfare ships, 9 patrol craft and 9 amphibious ships (total displacement of approx. 432,000 tons). It also has 179 fixed-wing aircraft and 135 helicopters. Most of these aircraft are used in antisubmarine and mine

Naval mine

A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...

warfare operations.

The ship prefix

Ship prefix

A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...

for JMSDF ships is JDS (Japanese Defense Ship) for all ships commissioned before 2008. Ships commissioned on or after 2008 will use the prefix JS (Japanese Ship) to reflect the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Agency to the Ministry of Defense.

Origin

Japan has a long history of naval interaction with the Asian continent, involving transportation of troops, starting at least with the beginning of the Kofun period in the 3rd century. Following the attempts at Mongol invasions of Japan

Mongol invasions of Japan

The ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...

by Kubilai Khan

Kublai Khan

Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...

in 1274 and 1281, Japanese wakō

Wokou

Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...

became very active in plundering the coast of the Chinese Empire.

Japan undertook major naval building efforts in the 16th century, during the Warring States period

Sengoku period

The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

, when feudal rulers vying for supremacy built vast coastal navies of several hundred ships. Around that time, Japan may have developed one of the world's first ironclad

Ironclad warship

An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...

warships, when Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

(a Japanese daimyo

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

) had six iron-covered Oatakebune

Atakebune

were large Japanese warships of the 16th and 17th century internecine Japanese wars for political control and unity of all Japan.Japan undertook major naval building efforts in the mid to late 16th century, during the Sengoku period, when feudal rulers vying for supremacy built vast coastal navies...

made in 1576.

In 1588, Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...

issued a ban on Wakō piracy; the pirates then became vassals of Hideyoshi and comprised the naval force used in the Japanese invasion of Korea.

Japan built her first large ocean-going warships in the beginning of the 17th century, following contact with European countries during the Nanban trade period. In 1613, the Daimyo of Sendai

Sendai, Miyagi

is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...

, in agreement with the Tokugawa

Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...

Bakufu

Shogun

A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

, built the Date Maru

Japanese warship San Juan Bautista

San Juan Bautista was one of Japan's first Japanese-built Western-style sail warships. She crossed the Pacific in 1614. She was of the Spanish galleon type, known in Japan as Nanban-Sen San Juan Bautista (“St. John the Baptist”) (originally called Date Maru, 伊達丸 in Japanese) was one of Japan's...

. This 500 ton galleon

Galleon

A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...

-type ship transported the Japanese embassy of Hasekura Tsunenaga

Hasekura Tsunenaga

Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga or was a Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyo of Sendai....

to the Americas and Europe. From 1604 onwards, about 350 Red seal ships, usually armed and incorporating European technology, were also commissioned by the Bakufu, mainly for Southeast Asian trade.

Creation of the Imperial Japanese Navy

From 1868, the restored Meiji Emperor

Emperor Meiji

The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...

continued with reforms to industrialize and militarize Japan to prevent the United States and European powers from overwhelming it. On 17 January 1868, the Ministry of Military Affairs was established, with Iwakura Tomomi

Iwakura Tomomi

was a Japanese statesman in the Meiji period. The former 500 Yen banknote issued by the Bank of Japan carried his portrait.-Early life:Iwakura was born in Kyoto as the second son of a low-ranking courtier and nobleman . In 1836 he was adopted by another nobleman, , from whom he received his family...

, Shimazu Tadayoshi

Shimazu Tadayoshi

was a daimyo of Satsuma Province during Japan's Sengoku period.He was born to a branch family of the Shimazu clan, the Mimasaka Shimazu family but after his father Shimazu Yoshihisa died, his mother married Shimazu Unkyu of another branch family, the Soshū...

and Prince Komatsu-no-miya Akihito

Prince Komatsu Akihito

-External links:**...

as the First Secretaries.

On 26 March 1868, the first Naval Review was held in Japan (in Osaka Bay

Osaka Bay

Osaka Bay is a bay in western Japan. As an eastern part of the Inland Sea, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kii Channel and from the neighbor western part of the Inland Sea by the Akashi Strait...

), with 6 ships from the private domainal navies of Saga, Chōshū, Satsuma, Kurume

Kurume Domain

The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, ruled by the Arima clan. It was located in Chikugo Province .The Arima clan became viscounts in the Meiji era.-List of lords:* Arima clan 1620-1871...

, Kumamoto

Kumamoto Domain

The was han or a Japanese feudal domain that was located in Higo Province apart from Kuma District and Amakusa District and part of Bungo Province . It was also known as...

and Hiroshima

Hiroshima Domain

Hiroshima Domain was a han, or feudal domain, of Edo period Japan. Based at Hiroshima castle in the city of Hiroshima, the domain encompassed Aki province and parts of neighboring Bingo province....

participating. The total tonnage of these ships was 2252 tons, far smaller than the tonnage of the single foreign vessel (from the French Navy) that also participated. The following year, in July 1869, the Imperial Japanese Navy was formally established, two months after the last military engagement of the Boshin War. In July 1869, the private navies of the Japanese nobles were abolished, and their 11 ships were added to the 7 surviving vessels of the defunct Tokugawa bakufu navy, including the Kankō Maru

Kanko Maru

The was Japan's first steam warship. The ship was a 3-masted top sail schooner , with an auxiliary coal-fired steam engine turning a side paddlewheel...

, Japan's first steam warship. This formed the core of the new Imperial Japanese Navy.

An 1872 edict officially separated the Japanese Navy from the Japanese Army. Politicians like Enomoto Takeaki set out to use the Navy to expand to the islands south of Japan in similar fashion to the Army's northern and western expansion. The Navy sought to upgrade its fleet to a blue water navy and used cruises to expand the Japanese consciousness on the southern islands. Enomoto's policies helped the Navy expand and incorporate many different islands into the Japanese Empire, including Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...

in 1889. The navy continued to expand and incorporate political influence throughout the early twentieth century.

Formation of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force

Following the defeat of Japan during World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy

Imperial Japanese Navy

was dissolved by the Potsdam Declaration acceptance. Ships were disarmed, and some of them, such as battleship Nagato
Japanese battleship Nagato
Nagato was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy; the lead ship of her class. She was the first battleship in the world to mount 16 inch guns, her armour protection and speed made her one of the most powerful capital ships at the time of her commissioning.She was the flagship of Admiral...

, were taken by the Allied Powers as reparation. The remaining ships were used for repatriation of the Japanese soldiers from abroad and also for minesweeping in the area around Japan. The minesweeping fleet was eventually transferred to the newly-formed Maritime Safety Agency, which helped maintain the resources and expertise of the navy.

Japan's 1947 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...

was drawn up after the conclusion of the war, Article 9 specifying that "The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes." The prevalent view in Japan is that this article allows for military forces to be kept for the purposes of self-defense. Due to Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

pressures, the United States was also happy for Japan to provide part of its own defense, rather than have it fully rely on American forces.

In 1952, the Coastal Safety Force was formed within the Maritime Safety Agency, incorporating the minesweeping fleet and other military vessels, mainly destroyers, given by the United States.

In 1954, the Coastal Safety Force was separated, and the JMSDF was formally created as the naval branch of the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF), following the passage of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Law.

The first ships in the JMSDF were former US Navy destroyers, transferred to Japanese control in 1954. In 1956, the JMSDF received its first domestically produced destroyer since World War II, the Harukaze
Harukaze
The Harukaze was the first destroyer in the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force to be built in Japan. Launched in 1956, she was the lead ship in her class....

. Due to the Cold War threat posed by the Soviet Navy

Soviet Navy

The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...

's sizable and powerful submarine fleet, the JMSDF was primarily tasked with an anti-submarine role.

Post Cold War

Following the end of the Cold War, the role of the JMSDF has vastly changed. In 1991, after much international pressure, the JMSDF dispatched minesweepers to the Persian Gulf in the aftermath of the Gulf War

Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

to clear mines sown by Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...

's defending forces; and starting with a mission to Cambodia in 1993 when JSDF personnel were supported by the JDS Towada, it has been active in a number of UN-led peace keeping operations throughout Asia. In 1993, it also commissioned its first Aegis

Aegis combat system

The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...

-equipped destroyer, the DD173 Kongō

Kongo class destroyer

The of guided missile destroyers serves as the core ship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force 's Escort Flotillas. They are a modification of the United States Navy's Arleigh Burke class .-Design:...

. It has also been active in joint naval exercises with other countries, such as the United States. The JMSDF has dispatched a number of its destroyers on a rotating schedule to the Indian Ocean in an escort role for allied vessels as part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.

Following an increase in tensions with North Korea following the 1993 test of the Nodong-1

Nodong-1

The Rodong-1 is a single stage, mobile liquid propellant medium range ballistic missile developed by North Korea...

missile and the 1998 test of the Taepodong-1 missile over northern Japan, the JMSDF has stepped up its role in air defense. A ship-based anti-ballistic missile

Anti-ballistic missile

An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...

system was successfully test-fired on 18 December 2007 and has been installed on Japan's Aegis-class destroyers. The JMSDF along with Japan Coast Guard

Japan Coast Guard

The , formerly the Maritime Safety Agency, is the Japanese coast guard. Comprising about 12,000 personnel, it is under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and is responsible for the protection the coast-lines of Japan...

has also been active in preventing North Korean infiltrators from reaching Japan and at one time, engaged and sank

Action of 22 December 2001

The Battle of Amami-Ōshima or the was a six-hour confrontation between the Japan Coast Guard and an armed North Korean vessel, taking place near the island of Amami-Ōshima, in the East China Sea...

a North Korean spyship in 2001.

Capabilities and recent developments

Japan has the 7th largest Exclusive Economic Zone

Exclusive Economic Zone

Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...

(EEZ) in the world, and the JMSDF is responsible for protecting this large area. As an island nation, dependent on maritime trade for the majority of its resources, including food and raw materials, maritime operations are a very important aspect of Japanese defense policy.

The JMSDF is known in particular for its anti-submarine and mine-sweeping capability. Defense planners believe the most effective approach to combating submarines entails mobilizing all available weapons, including surface combatants, submarines, aircraft and helicopters. Historically the JASDF

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

The , 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...

has been relied upon to provide air cover at sea, a role that is subordinate to JASDF's primary mission of air defense of the home islands. Extended patrols over sea lanes are beyond the JASDF's current capabilities.

The fleet's capacity to provide ship-based anti-air protection is limited by the absence of aircraft carriers, though its Aegis-equipped destroyers provide a formidable capability in anti-air warfare. The fleet is also short of underway replenishment ships and generally deficient in all areas of logistic support. These weaknesses seriously compromise the ability of the JMSDF to fulfill its mission and operate independently of the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

and the United States Seventh Fleet. However, these capabilities are force multipliers, allowing force projection of Japan's sizable destroyer and frigate force far from home waters, and acquiring them is contentious considering Japan's "passive" defense policy.
In August 2003, a new "helicopter destroyer" class was ordered, the Hyūga class helicopter destroyer

Hyuga class helicopter destroyer

The are a type of helicopter carrier being built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . Two ships of the class were built to replace the two 7,000-ton Haruna-class helicopter destroyers. The new ships are the largest combatant ship operated by Japan since the Imperial Japanese Navy was...

. The size and features of the ship, including a full length flight deck, will result in it being classified as either an amphibious assault ship, or helicopter carrier by Lloyd's Register

Lloyd's Register

The Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...

, similar to . It has been widely disputed if a carrier of any sort would be technically prohibited by Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause in the National Constitution of Japan that prohibits an act of war by the state. The Constitution came into effect on May 3, 1947, immediately following World War II. In its text, the state formally renounces war as a sovereign right and bans...

, as carriers are generally considered offensive weapons. In an April 1988 Diet budget session, then Defense Agency chief Tsutomu Kawara said that "The Self-Defense Forces are not allowed to possess ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles), strategic bombers, or attack aircraft carriers."

Until the 1970s in the US Navy, large-scale flattops had been categorized as "attack aircraft carriers" and small flattops as "anti-submarine aircraft carriers." Since helicopter carriers have little organic attack capability and primarily fulfill roles including logistics and transport, the government continues to argue that the prohibition does not extend to the new ship.

In November 2009 the JMSDF announced plans for a even larger "helicopter carrier"

19000t class destroyer

The 19500t class destroyer is a new helicopter carrier class of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . The ships of this class will be the largest surface combatants of the Japanese navy, superseding the Hyūga class helicopter destroyers in terms of size.-Construction:The Ministry of Defense ...

though this has not yet been approved by the Japanese Government.

The JMSDF's submarine fleet consists of one of the most technologically advanced and capable diesel-electric forces in the world. This is due to careful defense planning in which boats are routinely retired ahead of schedule and replaced by increasingly advanced models. In 2010 it was announced that the Japanese submarine fleet would be increased for the first time in 36 years.http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/07/26/2010072601021.html

International activities

Mission in the Indian Ocean

Destroyers and combat support ships of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force were dispatched to the Indian Ocean from 2001 to 2008 to participate in OEF-MIO (Operation Enduring Freedom-Maritime Interdiction Operation). Their mission is to prevent the marine transportation of illegal weapons and ammunition, and the drugs which fund terrorist activity. Since 2004, the JMSDF has provided ships of foreign forces with fuel for their ships and ship-based helicopters, as well as fresh water.

This was the third time Japanese military vessels had been dispatched overseas since World War II, following the deployments of a mine-sweeping units during the Korean War and the Persian Gulf War. The law enabling the mission expired on 2 November 2007, and the operation was temporarily canceled due to a veto of a new bill authorizing the mission by the opposition-controlled upper chamber of the Japanese Diet. A new law was subsequently passed when the lower chamber overruled the veto, and the mission was resumed.

In January 2010, the defense minister ordered the Japanese navy to return from the Indian Ocean, fulfilling a government pledge to end the eight-year refueling mission. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama

Yukio Hatoyama

is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....

refused to renew the law authorizing the mission, ignoring requests from the American government for continuation.

Mission in Somalia

In May 2010, Japan announced its intention to build a permanent naval base in Djibouti

Djibouti

Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...

, from which it will conduct operations to protect merchant shipping from Somali pirates.

Military exercises and exchanges

The JMSDF and the U.S. Navy frequently carry out joint exercises and "U.S. Navy officials have claimed that they
have a closer daily relationship with the JMSDF than any other navy in the world". The JMSDF participates in RIMPAC

RIMPAC

RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world's largest international maritime exercise. Conducted biennially , it is hosted and administered by the United States Navy, with the United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the leadership of...

, the annual multi-national military exercise near Hawaii that has been hosted by the U.S. Navy since 1980. The JMSDF dispatched a ship to the Russian Vladivostok

Vladivostok

The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...

harbor in July in 1996 to participate in the Russian Navy's 300th anniversary naval review. Vladimir Vinogradov came by ship to the Tokyo harbor in June 1997. The JMSDF has also conducted joint naval exercises with the Indian Navy

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...

RIMPAC
RIMPAC
RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world's largest international maritime exercise. Conducted biennially , it is hosted and administered by the United States Navy, with the United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the leadership of...

: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force participates in RIMPAC after 1980.

Pacific Shield(PSI
Proliferation Security Initiative
The Proliferation Security Initiative is a global effort that aims to stop trafficking of weapons of mass destruction , their delivery systems, and related materials to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. Launched by United States President George W...

): The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force participated in Pacific Shield after 2004, and in 2007, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force hosted the exercise.

Pacific Reach: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has participated in the bi-annual submarine rescue exercise since 2000. In 2002, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force hosted the exercise.

Navy to Navy Talks: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force holds regular naval conferences with its counterparts of Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense
Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System
The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System is a United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency program developed to provide defense against ballistic missiles. It is part of the United States national missile defense strategy...

FTM: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has participated in the FTM after FTM-10. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force carried out JFTM-1 in December 2007.

Ranks of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

The following details the officer ranks of the JMSDF, showing the Japanese rank, the English translation and the NATO equivalent.

Commissioned Officers

Japanese Rank (in Japanese)	Japanese Rank (in English)	NATO Code
幕僚長たる海将 (Bakuryō-chō taru Kaishō)	Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...	OF-9
海将 (Kaishō)	Vice-Admiral	OF-8
海将補 (Kaishō-ho)	Rear-Admiral	OF-7
1等海佐 (Ittō Kaisa)	Captain	OF-5
2等海佐 (Nitō Kaisa)	Commander	OF-4
3等海佐 (Santō Kaisa)	Lieutenant Commander	OF-3
1等海尉 (Ittō Kaii)	Lieutenant	OF-2
2等海尉 (Nitō Kaii)	Lieutenant Junior Grade	OF-1
3等海尉 (Santō Kaii)	Ensign	OF-1

Warrant officers

准海尉 (Jun Kaii)

Warrant Officer

OR-9

Non-Commissioned Officers

海曹長 (Kaisō-chō)	Chief Petty Officer	OR-8
1等海曹 (Ittō Kaisō)	Petty Officer 1st Class	OR-7
2等海曹 (Nitō Kaisō)	Petty Officer 2nd Class	OR-6
3等海曹 (Santō Kaisō)	Petty Officer 3rd Class	OR-5

Enlisted

海士長 (Kaishi-chō)	Leading Seaman	OR-4
1等海士 (Ittō Kaishi)	Seaman	OR-3
2等海士 (Nitō Kaishi)	Seaman Apprentice	OR-2
3等海士 (Santō Kaishi)	Seaman Recruit	OR-1

Organization

The JMSDF is commanded by the Chief of the Maritime Staff. Its structure consists of the Maritime Staff Office, the Self Defense Fleet, five regional district commands, the air-training squadron and various support units, such as hospitals and schools. The Maritime Staff Office, located in Tokyo, serves the Chief of Staff in commanding and supervising the force.

The Self-Defense Fleet, headquartered at Yokosuka, consists of the JMSDF's military shipping. It is composed of four Escort Flotillas (based in Yokosuka

Yokosuka, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...

, Sasebo

Sasebo, Nagasaki

is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...

, Maizuru

Maizuru, Kyoto

is a city located in Kyōto, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 89,626 and the density of 264 persons per km². The total area is .The city was founded on May 27, 1943....

and Kure

Kure, Hiroshima

is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...

), the Fleet Air Force headquartered at Atsugi

Atsugi, Kanagawa

is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 225,622 and a population density of 2,410 persons per km². The total area was 93.83 km²...

, two Submarine Flotillas based at Kure and Yokosuka, two Mine-sweeping Flotillas based at Kure and Yokosuka and the Fleet Training Command at Yokosuka.

The JMSDF is planning to reorganize the respective Escort Flotillas into a DDH group and DDG group, enabling faster overseas deployments.

JMSDF Chief of Staff / Maritime Staff Office
- Self Defense Fleet (Mobile Flotilla)
  - Fleet Escort Force
    - Escort Flotilla 1 (Yokosuka)
      - Escort Squadron 1 (DDG,DDH,DDx2)
      - Escort Squadron 5 (DDG,DDx3)
    - Escort Flotilla 2 (Sasebo)
      - Escort Squadron 2 (DDG,DDH,DDx2)
      - Escort Squadron 6 (DDG,DDx3)
    - Escort Flotilla 3 (Maizuru)
      - Escort Squadron 3 (DDG,DDH,DDx2)
      - Escort Squadron 7 (DDG,DDx3)
    - Escort Flotilla 4 (Kure)
      - Escort Squadron 4 (DDG,DDH,DDx2)
      - Escort Squadron 8 (DDG,DDx3)
    - Fleet Training Command
    - 1st Replenishment Squadron
    - 1st Transportation Squadron
  - Fleet Air Force
    - Fleet Air Wing 1 (P-3C UH-60J)
    - Fleet Air Wing 2 (P-3C UH-60J)
    - Fleet Air Wing 4 (P-3C UH-60J)
    - Fleet Air Wing 5 (P-3C UH-60J)
    - Fleet Air Wing 21 (SH-60J/K)
    - Fleet Air Wing 22 (SH-60J)
    - Fleet Air Wing 31 (US-1A US-2 EP-3 OP-3C UP-3D LC-90
      Beechcraft King Air
      The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...
      
      U-36A)
    - Fleet Squadron 51 (P-3C UP-3C/D OP-3 SH-60J/K OH-6DA)
    - Fleet Squadron 61 (YS-11M/MA LC-90)
    - Fleet Squadron 111 (MH-53E MCH-101 CH-101)
  - Fleet Submarine Force
    - Submarine Flotilla 1
      - Submarine Squadron 1
      - Submarine Squadron 3
      - Submarine Squadron 5
    - Submarine Flotilla 2
      - Submarine Squadron 2
      - Submarine Squadron 4
    - Submarine Training Command
  - Mine Warfare Force
  - Fleet Research & Development Command
  - Fleet Intelligence Command
  - Oceanographic Command
- Air Training Command
  - Shimofusa
    Shimofusa Air Base
    is a military aerodrome of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It is located east of Matsudo in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The base straddles the border between Kashiwa and Kamegaya cities.-Operations:...
    
    Air Training Group (P-3C YS-11TA UH-60J)
  - Tokushima
    Tokushima Airport
    is an airport in Matsushige, Tokushima, Japan, near the city of Tokushima.In addition to scheduled passenger operations, the airport is the base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Tokusima Air Training Group of 202 Air Training Squadron equipped with Beechcraft TC-90, and UH-60J Search and...
    
    Air Training Group (TC-90
    Beechcraft King Air
    The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...
    
    UC-90 UH-60J)
  - Ozuki
    Ozuki Air Field
    is a military aerodrome of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . It is located in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.-Accidents and incidents:...
    
    Air Training Group (T-5 UH-60J)
- Maritime Material Command
  - Ship Supply Depot
  - Air Supply Depot
- Training Squadron
- Communication Command
- Criminal Investigation Command
- JMSDF Staff College
- Maritime Officer Candidate School
- 1st Service School
- 2nd Service School
- 3rd Service School
- 4th Service School

- Yokosuka District　Force
- Kure
  Kure, Hiroshima
  is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
  
  District Force
- Sasebo
  Sasebo, Nagasaki
  is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
  
  District Force
- Maizuru District Force
- Ominato District Force

Escort Forces

Each Escort force is formed as an 8–8 fleet of 8 destroyers and 8 on-board helicopters, a modification of the old Japanese Navy fleet layouts of 8 battleships and 8 cruisers. Each force is composed of one helicopter destroyer (DDH) acting as a command ship, two guided-missile destroyers (DDG) and 5 standard or ASW destroyers (DD).

First Escort Force – Yokosuka
Second Escort Force – Sasebo
Third Escort Force – Maizuru
Fourth Escort Force – Kure

District Forces

Five district units act in concert with the fleet to guard the waters of their jurisdictions and provide shore-based support. Each district is home to a major JMSDF base and its supporting troops and staff. Furthermore, each district is home to one to two regional escort squadrons, composed of two to three destroyers or destroyer escorts (DE). The destroyers tend to be of older classes, mainly former escort force ships. The destroyer escorts, on the other hand, tend to be purpose built vessels. Each district also has a number of minesweeping ships.

Fleet Air Force

The Fleet Air Force is tasked with patrol, ASW and rescue tasks. It is composed primarily of 7 aviation groups. Prominent bases are maintained at Kanoya

Kanoya Air Field

is a military aerodrome of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . It is located southwest of Kanoya in the Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Runway 08R/26L is equipped with ILS....

, Hachinohe, Atsugi

Naval Air Facility Atsugi

is a naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy air base in the Pacific Ocean and houses the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 5, which deploys with the aircraft carrier...

, Naha

Naha Air Base

Naha Air Base is an airbase of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. It was formerly under control of the United States Air Force. It is located at Naha Airport, Okinawa, Japan....

, Tateyama

Tateyama Air Field

is a military aerodrome of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It is located outside of the city of Tateyama in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, at the southern tip of the Bōsō Peninsula-Operations:...

, Oomura and Iwakuni

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni or MCAS Iwakuni is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of the Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi in Japan.-Tenant commands:...

. The Fleet Air Force is built up mainly with patrol aircraft such as the Lockheed

Lockheed Corporation

The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...

P-3 Orion

The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...

, rescue aircraft such as the US-1A and helicopters such as the SH-60J. In the JMSDF, helicopters deployed to each escort force are actually members of Fleet Air Force squadrons based on land.

Special Forces

Special Forces units consist of the following:

SBU (Special Boarding Unit
Special Boarding Unit
The is a special forces unit established by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces on March 27, 2001 in response to a previous spy ship incursion that occurred on the Noto Peninsula in 1999. The unit was created to perform similar roles to those undertaken by American Navy SEALs and the British...

)

MIT (Maritime Interception Team)

Recruitment and training

JMSDF recruits receive three months of basic training followed by courses in patrol, gunnery, mine sweeping, convoy operations and maritime transportation. Flight students, all upper-secondary school graduates, enter a two-year course. Officer candidate schools offer six-month courses to qualified enlisted personnel and those who have completed flight school.

Graduates of four-year universities, the four-year National Defense Academy, and particularly outstanding enlisted personnel undergo a one-year officer course at the Officer Candidate School

Naval Academy Edashima

Etajima base in Etajima city, Hiroshima prefecture is located in the Etajima-cho government building and is the base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Beside the housing the 1st Technical School and the Officer Candidates School, it is home to the local Kure Naval District, LCAC training...

at Etajima

Etajima, Hiroshima

is a city located on the island of Etajima in Hiroshima Bay in southwestern Hiroshima, Japan.The city was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of the town of Etajima from Aki District with three towns from Saeki District: Nōmi, Ōgaki, and Okimi.As of March 1, 2008 population data, the city...

(site of the former Imperial Naval Academy). The JMSDF also operates a staff college in Tokyo for senior officers.

The large volume of coastal commercial fishing and maritime traffic around Japan limits in-service sea training, especially in the relatively shallow waters required for mine laying, mine sweeping and submarine rescue practice. Training days are scheduled around slack fishing seasons in winter and summer—providing about ten days during the year.

The JMSDF maintains two oceangoing training ships and conducted annual long-distance on-the-job training for graduates of the one-year officer candidate school.

Culture

Although Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force has dropped traditions association with the Imperial Japanese Army, the JMSDF has maintained these historic links with the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).
Today's JMSDF continus to use the same martial songs, naval flags, signs and technical terms as the IJN. For example, the official flag of the JMSDF is the same that was used by the IJN. Also, the JMSDF tradition of eating curry every Friday originated with the IJN.

JMSDF Fleet

The JMSDF has an official strength of 46,000 personnel (currently around 45,800 personnel), operating some 110 major warships, including 18 submarines, 47 destroyers and frigates, 29 mine warfare ships, 9 patrol craft and 9 amphibious ships (total displacement of approx. 432,000 tons).

Aircraft

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| AgustaWestland AW101 ||

|| Minesweeping helicopter

Transport helicopter || MCH-101

CH-101 || 0

5 || 11 more on order.
Replacing the MH-53E and S-61A. First MCH-101 was built by AgustaWestland

AgustaWestland

AgustaWestland is an Anglo-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company. It was formed in July 2000 when Finmeccanica S.p.A. and GKN plc agreed to merge their respective helicopter subsidiaries to form AgustaWestland with Finmeccanica and GKN each holding a 50% share.AgustaWestland is now a...

and the rest are built by Kawasaki

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....

.
|-----
| Beechcraft King Air

Beechcraft King Air

The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...

|| || Trainer

Liaison

Aerial survey || TC-90

LC-90

UC-90 || 31 ||
|-----
| Eurocopter EC 135

Eurocopter EC 135

The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...

|| || Trainer helicopter || TH-135 || 5 ||10 more planned.
|-----
| Fuji T-5 || || Trainer || T-5 || 35 ||
|-----
| Learjet 35 || || Utility aircraft || U-36A || 4 ||
|-----
| Lockheed P-3 Orion || || Maritime patrol

ELINT

Reconnaissance

Equipment test

ELINT trainer || P-3C

EP-3C

OP-3C

UP-3C

UP-3D || 80

3 || Built by Kawasaki
|-----
| MD Helicopters MD 500

MD Helicopters MD 500

The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach...

|| || Trainer helicopter || OH-6D

OH-6J || 5

4 || Built by Kawasaki
|-----
| NAMC YS-11

NAMC YS-11

The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In...

|| || Utility transport || YS-11T || 10 ||
|-----
| ShinMaywa US-1 || || Rescue flying boat || US-1A || 4 ||
|-----
| ShinMaywa US-2 || || Rescue flying boat || US-2 || 3 || The US-2 will replace the older US-1 soon
|-----
| Mitsubishi SH-60

Mitsubishi SH-60

The Mitsubishi H-60 series is twin-turboshaft engine helicopter based on the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter family for use by the Japan Self-Defense Force . The SH-60J/K are anti-submarine patrol version for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . The UH-60J is a search and rescue version for the Japan...

|| Naval helicopter || SH-60J

SH-60K || 103

28 || Built by Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...

|-----
| UH-60 Black Hawk || || Rescue helicopter || UH-60J || 19 || Built by Mitsubishi
|-----
| CH-53E Super Stallion

CH-53E Super Stallion

The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United States military. It was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. Sailors commonly refer to the Super...

|| || Minesweeping helicopter || MH-53E || 10 ||

Future aircraft

Kawasaki P-1

|-See also:-External links:* * * * * * , Kawasaki Heavy Industries Scope Quarterly Newsletter No.73 October 2007* * * *...

|| || Maritime patrol || XP-1 || 2 || XP-1 will enter service in 2010. It is planned to replace the P-3C Orion patrol aircraft already in service. Only the tesetbed aircraft are oprational yet and no P-3 will be replaced before 2012
|-----

External links

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