Establishment, Purpose, and Historical Background
– Founded on July 1, 1954
– Largest branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
– Established under the Defense Agency and Self-Defense Forces Act
– Created to defend Japan against direct and indirect aggression
– Responsible for maintaining public order
– Disbandment of Imperial Japanese Army and Navy after World War II
– Article 9 of the Japan Constitution renounced war as a sovereign right
– Initially relied on the United States Armed Forces for defense
– National Police Reserve established in 1950 as a response to the Korean War
– Defense Agency and Self-Defense Force Laws passed in 1954
Development, Challenges, and Modernization
– Initial strength of the Ground Self-Defense Forces in 1954 was 146,285
– Armed with World War II vintage equipment provided by the United States
– Limited capability to defend against a Soviet invasion in the 1970s
– Efforts to reorient the forces after the Cold War faced political disputes
– Current strength of the Ground Self-Defense Forces is around 150,000
– Activation of the Special Operations Group in 2004 as a counter-terrorist unit
– Reinterpretation of Article 9 in 2015 allowed for expanded roles and capabilities
– Establishment of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade in 2018
– Joint exercises with foreign forces, including British and Indian armies
– Establishment of regional cyber protection unit in 2019
Recent Operations, Exercises, and Deployment
– Participation in peacekeeping operations, including monitoring cease-fire in Sinai peninsula
– Nationwide drills conducted in 2021 involving 100,000 personnel and various military assets
– Focus on improving strategic partnerships and security cooperation
– Efforts to enhance capabilities in amphibious assault and cyber defense
– Commitment to safeguarding defense communications and remote island deployments
– JGSDF soldiers trained with U.S. Army soldiers in bilateral exercises at Fort Lewis Leschi Town in October 2008
– JGSDF soldiers and U.S. soldiers participated in the Orient Shield 2017 opening ceremony at Camp Shin Yokotsuka
– Basic training for lower-secondary and upper-secondary academy graduates began in the training brigade in 1989
– Specialized enlisted and non-commissioned officer (NCO) candidate courses were available in branch schools
– Senior NCOs and graduates of an eighty-week NCO pilot course were eligible to enter officer candidate schools
Personnel, Equipment, and Organization
– Limited areas available for large-scale training due to population density and urbanization
– Command post exercises, map maneuvers, and simulators used for training
– Live fire exercises conducted overseas at locations like the Yakima Training Center in the United States
– Rapid-reaction reserve component and main reserve component
– As of December 2007, 8,425 members in the rapid-reaction reserve component and 22,404 members in the main reserve component
– Equipment includes Type 10 and Type 90 Main Battle Tanks, Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle, Type 87 Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Gun, and Type 96 Armored Personnel Carrier
– Ground Component Command headquartered in Nerima, Tokyo
– Five armies: Northern Army, North Eastern Army, Eastern Army, Central Army, and Western Army
– Nine active duty divisions and eight combat brigades, including the 1st Airborne Brigade, 5th Brigade, 11th Brigade, 12th Brigade, 13th Brigade, 14th Brigade, 15th Brigade, and Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade
– Rank insignia and traditions of the former Imperial Japanese Army
International Cooperation, Elite Units, and Modernization
– Participates in joint military exercises with other countries
– Engages in bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation agreements
– Contributes to United Nations peacekeeping missions
– Regular nationwide drills and collaboration with foreign military forces
– Elite units like the Special Forces Group and the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade
– Specializes in counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, and special reconnaissance
– Emphasizes the development and acquisition of advanced defense technologies
– Focuses on improving capabilities in areas such as cyber warfare and missile defense
– Invests in research and development for next-generation military equipment
– Collaboration with domestic and international defense industries Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Ground_Self-Defense_Force
