These are overseas dispatches (Heisei -JSDF deployments outside of Japan) of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). Japan sought active international cooperation beyond the framework of previous activities due to the alleviation of tensions after the end of the Cold War in 1989 and the Gulf War that broke out at the beginning of 1991. This began the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces in the Persian Gulf.
This is the underlying law that triggered the formation. 2006 (Heisei 18) In accordance with the revised Self-Defense Forces Act (Article 3-2 ), which was enacted on December 15, etc., overseas dispatching was upgraded from an incidental mission to an original mission.
Since 1991, the Japan Self-Defense Forces have conducted international activities to provide support for peacekeeping missions and disaster relief efforts as well as to help prevent conflict and terrorism. [1]
| Deployment | Start date | End date | JSDF numbers | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persian Gulf | April 26, 1991 | October 1991 | JMSDF 6 minesweeper vessels | 6 JMSDF minesweepers removed 34 sea mines in the Persian Gulf to improve the safety of ships. [1] |
| Cambodia | August 19, 1992 | September, 1993 | JGSDF 1200 | JGSDF truce observers and an engineer unit helped repair damaged bridges and roads in Cambodia. The JASDF transported water and fuel to other peacekeeping units. [1] |
| Mozambique | May 1993 | January 1995 | JSDF unit | This was the SDF's second peacekeeping operations. Headquarters staff and a transportation unit were sent to participate in the United Nations Operation in Mozambique. [1] |
| Rwanda | September 1994 | December 1994 | JSDF unit and liaison/coordination personnel | This was the first humanitarian relief activity of the JSDF. A JSDF unit and liaison/coordination personnel were dispatched to Zaire (currently Congo) and Kenya for relief operations (supplies, medical, sanitation and water) to Rwandan refugees from the civil war. [1] |
| Israel Syria Golan Heights | February 1996 | Present | JSDF unit and liaison/coordination personnel | JSDF sent staff and a transport unit to the UN Disengagement Observer Force to promote peace in the Golan Heights. Activities include transporting supplies, road repair and snow removal. [1] |
| Honduras | November 1998 | December 1998 | JSDF unit and liaison/coordination personnel | After a devastating hurricane, JGSDF units and medical officers provided disaster relief with medical care to prevent epidemics and the JASDF transported equipment from Japan and the United States to Honduras. [1] |
| Turkey | September 1999 | November 1999 | JMSDF Three vessels | After a major earthquake, the JSDF dispatched three vessels, including a transport ship, minesweeper tender and a replenishment ship. It included 500 temporary houses as emergency relief supply for earthquake victims. [1] |
| Timor-Leste | September 1999 | February 2000 | JASDF Cargo plane | A large inflow of refugees into West Timor were caused by political unrest in East Timor. At the request of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) the JASDF dispatched a large cargo plane to transport relief supplies from Surabaya, Indonesia to Kuban. [1] |
| India | February 2001 | February 2001 | JGSDF unit and JASDF squadron | A JGSDF relief supply unit and JASDF emergency relief air transport squadron transported blankets and tents to areas in Western India that were damaged in a major earthquake. They also instructed local staff on how to use it. [1] |
| Afghanistan | October 2001 | October 2001 | JASDF squadron | The JSDF provided tents, blankets, water supply containers and mats to refugees in Islamabad, Afghanistan as part of anti-terrorism activities. These were transported by an JASDF squadron by air. [1] |
| Indian Ocean | November 2001 | November 2007 | JMSDF vessels | JMSDF vessels were dispatched to the Indian Ocean under the former Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law enacted after the terrorism attacks in the United States. The JMSDF vessels provided assistance by supplying fuel and water to foreign naval ships engaged in anti-terrorism activities. The JASDF transported supplies to the United States military forces. [1] |
| Haiti | 2010 | 2010 | JGSDF contingent of troops | The JSDF assisted the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti with a contingent of troops (engineers, bulldozers, heavy machinery). They conducted peacekeeping, reconstructed roads, buildings and removed rubble. [2] |
| East Timor | February 2002 | June 2004 | JGSDF 680 | The JSDF dispatched personnel and an engineer unit of 680 men and women to the headquarters of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. They helped repair and maintain roads, bridges and water supply units for local residents. [1] |
| Iraq | July 2003 | August 2003 | JASDF cargo plane | The JASDF provided assistance to victims of the War in Iraq by transporting 140 tons of relief supplies between Italy and Jordan with a large cargo plane. This was a request of the World Food Programme (WFP). [1] |
| Iran | December 2003 | January 2004 | JASDF 2 cargo planes | After a major earthquake struck Southeast Iran, the JASDF used two large cargo planes to transport 12 tons of emergency relief supplies provided by JICA to Kerman Province. [1] |
| Iraq | January 4, 2004 | 2006 | JGSDF 9,600 | Deployment of 9,600 Ground JSDF personnel to Iraq. The focus was on humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. [3] [4] [5] |
| Iraq | December 2003 | February 2009 | JGSDF and JASDF | In order to provide humanitarian and reconstruction assistance and help ensure the stability of Iraq, the JGSDF provided water, medical assistance, school, road repairs and general construction. The JASDF transported supplies between Kuwait and Iraq and played a vital role in the international reconstruction effort. [1] |
| Thailand | December 2004 | January 2005 | JMSDF unit | An JMSDF unit helped search for victims after a tsunami struck Thailand following the Sumatra earthquake. The JMSDF transported international emergency aid teams and equipment by air and recovered victims’ bodies from the ocean. [1] |
| Indonesia | January 2005 | March 2005 | JGSDF, JMSDF and JASDF | Units from the JGSDF, JMSDF and JASDF were dispatched to Sumatra after a major earthquake and tsunami. This marked the first time that JSDF helicopters were dispatched for international disaster relief activities. [1] |
| Kamchatka Peninsula | August 2005 | August 2005 | 4 JMSDF vessels | Four JMSDF vessels, including a submarine rescue ship, were dispatched to rescue the crew of a Russian Navy submarine that could not reach the surface near the Kamchatka peninsula. The submarine's crew was rescued by a Royal Navy submarine rescue ship. The Russian government also lauded the rapid response of the JMSDF. [1] |
| Pakistan | October 2005 | December 2005 | JASDF cargo plane, 6 JGSDF helicopters | The JASDF used a large cargo plane to transport six JGSDF helicopters to a major earthquake zone in Pakistan. The helicopters transported 824 victims and 131 tons of relief supplies, including medicines and tents. [1] |
| Indonesia | June 2006 | June 2006 | Squadron and other personnel | When Yogyakarta was struck by a major earthquake off the coast of Java, the JSDF sent an international emergency medical aid air transport squadron with personnel such as JGSDF medical officers. They provided local medical assistance, medical exams and vaccinations to 5,400 people. [1] |
| Nepal | March 2007 | January 2011 | JGSDF personnel | JSDF personnel were dispatched to the United Nations Mission in Nepal as military observers in order to maintain stability in the region after a peace accord that ended armed conflict between the Nepalese Army and Maoist forces. JSDF personnel observed the management of weapons, soldiers in camps and barracks. [1] |
| Indian Ocean | January 2008 | January 2010 | JMSDF | The JMSDF mission included supplying water and helicopter and ship fuel to foreign naval ships engaged in anti-terrorism activities in the Indian Ocean. This was permitted after the passing of the Replenishment Support Special Measures Law. [1] |
| Somalia | March 2009 | Present | JGSDF unit and JASDF unit | A JSDF surface and air unit were dispatched to the Gulf of Aden to ensure the safe passage of private-sector vessels. Numerous piracy incidents occurred there. It included a P-3C patrol plane used for warning and surveillance activities and two destroyers to protect civilian commercial ships. JGSDF personnel also provided security for the air unit's facility in Djibouti. [1] |
| Indonesia | October 2009 | October 2009 | JSDF unit | After a major earthquake that off Padang Indonesia that caused more than 1,000 deaths, the JSDF sent a medical assistance unit to the area. The three medical officers and other personnel provided emergency medical care to 919 patients. [1] |
| Haiti | January 2010 | February 2010 | JGSDF unit | After a major earthquake struck Haiti that killed more than 300,000 people, an JASDF transport plane was dispatched to help transport aid personnel and victims of the disaster. A medical assistance unit from the JGSDF provided disaster relief such as local medical care to 2954 people. [1] |
| Haiti | February 2010 | Present | JGSDF engineer unit | The JSDF dispatched a JGSDF engineer unit for post-quake reconstruction efforts in Haiti. They brought heavy machinery and other equipment to clear rubble, repair roads, perform simple engineering and construction work. [1] |
| Pakistan | August 2010 | October 2010 | JSDF unit | Pakistan suffered major flood damage caused by torrential rains. At the request of local Pakistani governments, a joint JSDF rescue unit was dispatched. It consisted of personnel from the JGSDF, JMSDF and JASDF. An JMSDF transport ship, JASDF C130H transport plane and six JGSDF helicopters helped transport 260 tons of relief supplies and 49 aid officials. [1] |
| Timor-Leste | September 2010 | Present | JSDF personnel | At the request of the UN, two JSDF personnel were dispatched as military liaison officers for the United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor. The JSDF personnel collected information to monitor civic order throughout East Timor to ensure that ceasefire was adhered. [1] |
| New Zealand | February 2011 | March 2011 | JSDF unit | Following a major earthquake near Christchurch, the New Zealand government requested help from Japan. The JSDF organized an international disaster relief air transport unit with a rescue team consisting of personnel from the National Police Agency, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Japan Coast Guard. It was one of the first to arrive in the country. [1] |
| South Sudan | 12 December 2016 | 17 April 2017 | JGSDF 12 | Ceasefire observers and security 12 personnel participated in peacekeeping operations on the ground in Sudan over the course of two years and 11 months. [6] [1] |
| Afghanistan | August 2021 | September 2021 | Central Readiness Regiment | During Fall of Kabul and Kabul airlift in August 2021, the JSDF dispatched JASDF and JGSDF Central Readiness Regiment to evacuate its citizens in Afghanistan [7] [8] |
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause in the Constitution of Japan outlawing war as a means to settle international disputes involving the state. The Constitution came into effect on 3 May 1947 during the Allied occupation that lasted until 28 April 1952, following the surrender of Japan in World War II. In its text, the state formally renounces the sovereign right of belligerency and aims at an international peace based on justice and order. The article also states that, to accomplish these aims, armed forces with war potential will not be maintained. The Constitution was imposed by U.S. military occupation to prevent rearmament of Japan in the post–World War II period.
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The Heisei era was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Emeritus Akihito from 8 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, when his son, Akihito, acceded to the throne as the 125th Emperor. In accordance with Japanese customs, Hirohito was posthumously renamed "Emperor Shōwa" on 31 January 1989.
The Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group, also known as the Japan Self-Defense Forces Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group, was a battalion-sized, largely humanitarian contingent of the Japan Self-Defense Forces that was sent to Samawah, Southern Iraq in early January 2004 and withdrawn by late July 2006. However, the last JASDF forces left Kuwait on December 18, 2008. Approximately 5,500 Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force members were present in Samawah between 2004 and 2006.
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The Ministry of Defense is an executive department of the Government of Japan responsible for preserving the peace and independence of Japan, and maintaining the country's national security and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, abbreviated JMSDF, also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after World War II. The JMSDF has a fleet of 154 ships, 346 aircraft and 50,800 personnel.
The Japan Self-Defense Forces, also known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified de facto military forces of Japan. Established in 1954, the JSDF comprises the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. They are controlled by the Ministry of Defense with the Prime Minister as commander-in-chief.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, JGSDF, also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service branches.
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The Defense Intelligence Headquarters is a military intelligence and signal 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 Agency.
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The Japan Self-Defense Forces Service Ribbon, also called the Self-Defense Commemorative Ribbon or the Defensive Memorial Cordon, (Japanese:防衛記念章) is the decoration for officers in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Officials may wear it on their uniforms while in active service. They are only cordons like the Unit Awards and the Unit Citations of United States Armed Forces.
The Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti is a military base operated by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) located in Ambouli, Djibouti alongside the Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport.
The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, formerly known as the Chairman of the Joint Staff Council from 1954 to 2006, is the highest-ranking military officer and head of the overall Operational Authority (command) over the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and its three service branches: the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff is primarily held by rank of a four-star rank of General or Admiral, the highest rank in the Japan Self-Defense Force. The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff is selected from among the Chief of Staff, Ground Self-Defense Force, Chief of Staff, Maritime Self-Defense Force and Chief of Staff, Air Self-Defense Force on a rotational basis.
Jieitaikakutōjutsu is a military self-defence and fighting system developed for JSDF personnel. The system primarily consists of hand-to-hand combat, bayonet and knife fighting principles.
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Takashi Araya is a Japanese martial artist and author, who is the director at Shiseikan, Meiji Shrine. He was a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force colonel and has organized the Special Forces Group as the first leader.
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