Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

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Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
日本国陸上自衛隊 (Rikujyo JIeitai))

Command

Ground Staff Office
Components
Northern Army
North Eastern Army
Eastern Army
Middle Army
Western Army
Central Readiness Force
JGSDF Reserve
JGSDF Reserve Candidate

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai^?), or JGSDF, is the military ground force (army) of Japan.

The largest of the three services of the JSDF, the Ground Self-Defense Force operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichigaya, Tokyo. Although allotted 180,000 slots for uniformed personnel, in 1992 the force was maintained at about 86 percent of that level (with approximately 156,000 personnel) because of funding constraints. The number of uniformed personnel is insufficient to enable an immediate shift onto emergency footing. Instead, the ratio of officers to enlisted personnel is high, requiring augmentation by Tanreserves or volunteers in times of crisis. In 1992, however, GSDF reserve personnel, numbering 46,000, had received little professional training. Intended to deter attack, repulse a small invasion, or provide a holding action until reinforced by United States or Allied armed forces, the ground element is neither equipped nor staffed to offer more than a show of conventional defense by itself. Anti-tank artillery, ground-to-sea firepower and mobility were improved and surface-to-ship missiles were acquired in the Mid-Term Defense Estimate completed in FY 1990.

Their forces are also lessened because they are not allowed a marine force, or to be a major military power. Other restrictions include Aircraft carriers, cruisers or strategic bombers. So, basically no offensive equipment, since the Japanese Military branches are only allowed defensive equipment, hence being self-defense-forces.

[edit] History

Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration in 1945, and, based on Potsdam Declaration Article 9, Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy were dismantled, and it was replaced, and the Operation Army led by the United States Armed Forces carried the Japanese defense.

National Security Board started in 1952. The police reserve force was in the National Security Board subordinate with the Maritime Guard and Maritime Safety Agency minesweeping corps, and it was reorganized by National Security Force, a garrison. These were performed by the influence of the Korean War.

The building of the defense ability advanced, and, on July 1, 1954, the National Security Board was reorganized by the Defense Agency, and the National Security Force and the garrison were reorganized afterwards by the Ground Self-Defense Force, the Marine Self Defense Force, the Air Self-Defense Force. The Defense Agency was elevated to the Ministry of Defense on January 9, 2007.

[edit] Organization

JGSDF Middle Army headquarters in Itami, Japan

[edit] Tactical organization

The GSDF consists of one armored division(the 7th Infantry division with an attached Tank Group(?)), nine infantry divisions (each with three or four infantry regiments, each the size of a British infantry battalion), one airborne brigade, two combined brigades, four training brigades, one artillery brigade with two groups, two air defense brigades with three groups, one helicopter brigade with twenty-four squadrons and two anti-tank helicopter platoons.

5th Infantry Regiment is with 9th Division, 6th Inf Regt. with 5th Brigade, 10th Infantry Regiment with 11th Div., 11th Infantry Regiment with 7th Division, and 25th and 26th Infantry Regiments with 2nd Division.

[edit] Special Forces

Special Forces units consist of the following:

CRF: Central Readiness Force (中央即応集団 Chūō Sokuō Shūdan): Nerima, Tokyo
- SOG: Special Operations Group (特殊作戦群 Tokushu Sakusen Gun)
- 1st Airborne Brigade
- 1st Helicopter Brigade
Western Army Infantry Regiment (西部方面普通科連隊 Seibu Hōmen Futsū-ka Rentai)
Rangers

[edit] Regional organization

A Japan Ground Self Defense Force officer candidate tries on a PDF-14 Night Vision Scope Aug. 29 during the Japanese Observer Exchange Program on Camp Schwab

The Northern Army, the largest, is headquartered on Sapporo, Hokkaidō, where population and geographic constraints are less limiting than elsewhere.
- 2nd Division
- 7th Armored Division
- 5th Brigade
- 11th Brigade
- 1st Artillery Brigade
- 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade
- 3rd Engineer Brigade
- Hokkaido Depot(Northern)

The North Eastern Army is headquartered in Sendai, Miyagi
- 6th Division
- 9th Division
- 2nd Engineer Brigade
- North Eastern Army Combined Brigade
- Tohoku Depot(North Eastern)

Members of the JGSDF.

The Eastern Army is headquartered in Nerima, Tokyo
- 1st Division
- 12th Brigade
- 1st Engineer Brigade
- 1st Training Brigade
- Kanto Depot(Eastern)

The Middle Army, headquartered in Itami, Hyōgo
- 3rd Division
- 10th Division
- 13th Brigade
- 14th Brigade
- 4th Engineer Brigade
- 2nd Training Brigade
- Kansai Depot(Middle)

The Western Army, is headquartered at Kengun, Kumamoto
- 4th Division
- 8th Division
- 1st Combined Brigade
- 2nd Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade
- 5th Engineer Brigade
- 3rd Training Brigade
- Kyusyu Depot(Western)

JGSDF uniform.

Other Units and Organizations
- Materiel Control Command
- Ground Research & Development Command
- Signal Brigade
- Military Police
- Military Intelligence Command
- Intelligence Security Command
- Ground Staff College
- Ground Officer Candidate School
- Others

[edit] Training

Japan Ground Self Defense Force officer candidates watch Marines take part in a simulated battle against role players

In 1989, basic training for lower-secondary and upper-secondary academy graduates began in the training brigade and lasted approximately three months. Specialized enlisted and non-commissioned officer (NCO) candidate courses were available in branch schools and qualified NCOs could enter an eight-to-twelve-week second lieutenant candidate program. Senior NCOs and graduates of an eighty-week NCO pilot course were eligible to enter officer candidate schools, as were graduates of the National Defense Academy at Yokosuka and graduates of four-year all universities. Advanced technical, flight, medical and command and staff officer courses were also run by the GSDF. Like the maritime and air forces, the GSDF ran a youth cadet program offering technical training to lower-secondary school graduates below military age in return for a promise of enlistment.

Because of population density on the Japanese islands, only limited areas were available for large-scale training, and, even in these areas, noise restrictions were a problem. The GSDF tried to adapt to these conditions by conducting command post exercises and map maneuvers and by using simulators and other training devices.

[edit] Current equipment

Tank Type 90 of Japan Ground Self Defense Force

Tank Type 74 of Japan Ground Self Defense Force

[edit] Armoured Vehicles

Type 73 (340)
Type 82 (500)
Komatsu LAV (1000+) Japan

[edit] Armoured personnel carriers

Type 60 (60)
Type 96 WAPC (160)

[edit] Air defense vehicles

Type 87 SPAAG (41) Japan

[edit] ATGMs ASMs

Type 01 Light Anti-Tank Missile Japan
Type 64 Anti-Tank Missile Japan
Type 79 Anti-Landing craft and Anti-Tank Missile Japan
Type 87 Anti-Tank Missile Japan
Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile Japan
Type 96 Multi-Purpose Missile System Japan

[edit] SAMs

Improved-HAWK United States
FIM-92A Stinger (80) United States
Type 81 Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (57) Japan
Type 91 Portable Surface-to-Air Missile (210) Japan
Type 93 Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (90) Japan
Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile Japan

[edit] Small arms

[edit] Future equipment

Type 10 tank - Production to start in 2010-2011

[edit] Aircraft inventory

The JGSDF operates 548 aircraft, including 532 helicopters.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Beechcraft Super King Air	United States	Utility transport	LR-2	5
Bell 205	United States	Utility helicopter	UH-1H UH-1J	161	Built by Fuji
Bell AH-1 Cobra	United States	Attack helicopter	AH-1S	88	Built by Fuji
Boeing AH-64 Apache	United States	Attack helicopter	AH-64DJP	55	Under delivery
Kawasaki-Vertol 107	Japan	Transport helicopter	KV-107	18
Boeing CH-47 Chinook	United States	Transport helicopter	CH-47J CH-47JA	56	Built by Kawasaki
Eurocopter Super Puma	France	VIP helicopter	AS 332L	3
Eurocopter EC 225	France	VIP helicopter	EC 225	1	Replacing the AS332L^[1] ^[2]
Kawasaki OH-1	Japan	Scout helicopter		22	Under delivery
MD Helicopters MD 500	Japan	Scout helicopter	OH-6D OH-6J	48 115	Built by Kawasaki
Mitsubishi MU-2	Japan	liaison	LR-1	11
UH-60 Black Hawk	United States	transport helicopter	UH-60JA	23	Built by Mitsubishi