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98-583: During the run-up to the Games, various NAOC sections and departments were responsible for particular areas of planning for the Winter Olympics. However, for the actual Games, each venue had NAOC staff who were responsible for running of the events at each particular venue, working in coordination with the central headquarters. In all, NAOC organized a total of 44,096 staff, including direct NAOC staff, host site government employees, volunteers, officials for

196-529: A U.S.-led military occupation for seven years, until April 28, 1952. The Occupation was commanded by American general Douglas MacArthur , whose office was designated the Supreme Command for the Allied Powers (SCAP). In the initial phase of the occupation, from 1945 to 1946, SCAP had pursued an ambitious program of social and political reform, designed to ensure that Japan would never again be

294-513: A capability to launch the F-35B – to be the first Japanese aircraft carriers since World War II. Japanese militarism Japanese militarism ( 日本軍国主義 , Nihon gunkoku shugi ) was the ideology in the Empire of Japan which advocated the belief that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and the belief that the strength of the military is equal to

392-588: A cease-fire between Israel and Egypt at the Multinational Force and Observers command in the Sinai peninsula from 19 April till 30 November 2019. Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced plans to deploy Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles in March 2020. The missiles have a range of 300 km and will be used to protect the southern Ryukyu Islands . Japan is also developing high-speed gliding missiles with

490-437: A ceiling that was observed until 1986. As of 2005, Japan's military budget equalled about 3% of the national budget; about half is spent on personnel costs, while the rest is for weapons programs, maintenance and operating costs. As of 2011, Japan has the world's eighth-largest military budget . The published military budget of Japan for 2015 was 4.98 trillion yen (approximately US$ 42 billion, and roughly 1% of Japanese GDP),

588-616: A coup d'état to overthrow the civilian government, and its forcing Japan into war through insubordination and military adventurism, the military was ultimately unable to force a military dictatorship on Japan. Under Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro , the Japanese government was streamlined to meet war-time conditions, and through the National Mobilization Law , it was given absolute power over the nation's assets. In 1940, all political parties were ordered to dissolve into

686-666: A declining pool of recruits due to the recently declining birth rate." In March 2019, the Ministry of Defense intended to establish its first regional cyber protection unit in the Western Army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) to safeguard defense communications from cyber attacks, such as for personnel deployed on remote islands with no established secure lines. The Ministry of Defense has been developing supersonic glide bombs to strengthen

784-481: A hostile United States, which further inflamed growing anti-foreign sentiment . The Japanese system of party government finally met its demise with the May 15 Incident in 1932, when a group of junior naval officers and army cadets assassinated Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi . Although the assassins were put on trial and sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment, they were seen popularly as having acted out of patriotism and

882-535: A long and ongoing process of gradually reinterpreting Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution to allow greater and greater military capabilities, under the interpretation that Article 9 disallowed offensive warmaking capabilities but did not necessarily deny the nation the inherent right to self-defense. These reinterpretations were avidly encouraged by the government of United States, which hoped that by remilitarizing Japan would be able to take up more of

980-763: A major concern to both Japanese and American leaders alike, the treaty explicitly allowed US military forces based in Japan put down "internal riots and disturbances" in Japan. In addition, in mid-1952, the National Police Reserve was expanded to 110,000 men and named the "National Safety Forces." Along with it, the Coastal Safety Force was moved to the National Safety Agency to start a de facto navy. (1) Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order,

1078-478: A major policy shift from its exclusively defense-oriented posture by acquiring counterstrike capabilities to hit enemy bases and command-and-control nodes with longer-range standoff missiles and a defense budget increase to 2% of GDP (¥43 trillion ($ 315 billion) by 2027. Japan will deploy improved domestic Type 12 SSM , hypersonic glide vehicles , and U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles in 2026. Domestic hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic missiles are planned for

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1176-645: A mock ballistic missile by its SM-3 Block IA, off the coast of Hawaii . The first PAC-3 (upgraded version of the MIM-104 Patriot ) firing test by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force was carried out in New Mexico on 17 September 2008. PAC-3 units are deployed in 6 bases near metropolises, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Misawa and Okinawa. Japan participates in the co-research and development of four Aegis components with

1274-625: A new national security strategy. This new strategy would increase all "national security-related spending" to 2 percent of Japan's GDP, while increasing the military budget from 5.4 trillion yen ($ 40 billion) in 2022 to 8.9 trillion yen ($ 66 billion) by 2027, up 65%. This would lead to a spending a total of around 43 trillion yen ($ 321 billion) between 2023 and 2027, up 56% from 2019 to 2023. Japan also has stated its plans to invest in counter-strike capabilities, including buying US Tomahawk cruise missiles and developing its own weapons systems, including hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic missiles with

1372-642: A potential staging ground for war with the Soviet Union. Various army factions contended for power amid increasing suppression of dissent and more assassinations. In the February 26 Incident of 1936, the Army's elite First Infantry Division staged an attempted coup d'état in yet another effort to overthrow civilian rule. The revolt was put down by other military units, and its leaders were executed after secret trials . Despite public dismay over these events and

1470-547: A range of 1000 km. On 10 September 2020, Japan and India signed a military pact called the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). The pact enables the exchange of logistical support and supplies. The purpose is to encourage closer cooperation between the two countries and to deter Chinese aggression in Asia . Japan already had such agreements with Australia, Canada, France, UK and USA. On 5 May 2022, Japan and

1568-408: A range of 3,000 km. Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution prohibits Japan from establishing a military or solving international conflicts through violence. However, there has been widespread public debate since 2000 about the possibility of reducing or deleting Article 9 from the constitution. The article is interpreted as meaning that armed forces are legitimate for self-defense. This limits

1666-548: A resurgence of so-called "jingoistic" patriotism, a weakening of democratic forces and a belief that the military could solve all threats both domestic and foreign. Patriotic education also strengthened the sense of a hakko ichiu , or a divine mission to unify Asia under Japanese rule. Those who continued to resist the "military solution" including nationalists with unquestionable patriotism, such as generals Jotaro Watanabe and Tetsuzan Nagata and ex-Foreign Minister Kijūrō Shidehara were driven from office or an active role in

1764-647: A rise of 2.8 percent on the previous year. After the North Korean Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1 satellite launching in August 1998, which some regarded as a ballistic missile test, the Japanese government decided to participate in the American anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defense program. In August 1999, Japan, Germany and the US governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding of joint research and development on

1862-478: A strong military could be built to defend Japan against outside powers. The rise of universal military conscription , introduced by Yamagata Aritomo in 1873, along with the proclamation of the Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors in 1882 enabled the military to indoctrinate thousands of men from various social backgrounds with military-patriotic values and the concept of unquestioning loyalty to

1960-647: A strong military would Japan earn the respect of western nations, and thus revision of the unequal treaties . During the 19th century, Great Power status was considered dependent on resource-rich colonial empires , both as a source of raw materials for military and industrial production, and international prestige. Due to the lack of resources in Japanese home islands , raw materials such as iron, oil, and coal largely had to be imported. The success of Japan in securing Taiwan (1895) and Korea (1910) had brought Japan primarily agricultural colonies. In terms of resources,

2058-453: A threat to world peace. Among other reforms, SCAP worked with Japanese leaders to completely disband the Japanese military. In addition, SCAP sought to unravel the wartime Japanese police state by breaking up the national police force into small American-style police forces controlled at the local level. SCAP also sought to empower previously marginalized groups that it believed would have a moderating effect on future militarism , legalizing

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2156-561: A truce was reached. The civilian government in Tokyo was powerless to prevent these military adventures, and instead of being condemned, the Kwangtung Army's actions enjoyed considerable popular support. Inukai's successors, military men chosen by Saionji Kinmochi , the last surviving genrō , recognized Manchukuo and generally approved the army's actions in securing Manchuria as an industrial base, an area for Japanese emigration, and

2254-694: A whole. Despite the apparently monolithic national consensus on the official aggressive policies pursued by the Imperial government in the first part of the Shōwa era , some substantial opposition did exist. This was one of various forms of Japanese dissidence during the Shōwa period . The most organized open opposition to militarism was from the Japanese Communist Party . In the early 1930s Communist activists attempted to influence army conscripts, but

2352-475: The 2022 visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan . On 22 October 2022, Japan and Australia signed a new bilateral security agreement that includes military, intelligence and cybersecurity cooperation. It is an upgrade to the 2007 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation. This is the first time that Japan made such a pact with another country other than the United States. On 16 December 2022, Japan announced

2450-632: The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System . In 2003, the Japanese government decided to deploy three types of ABM system, air defense vehicles, sea-based Aegis and land-based PAC-3 ABM. The four Kongō class Aegis destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force were modified to accommodate the ABM operational capability. On 17 December 2007, JS  Kongō successfully shot down

2548-846: The Cabinet of Japan endorsed a bill elevating the Defense Agency ( 防衛庁 ) under the Cabinet Office to full-fledged cabinet-level Ministry of Defense ( 防衛省 ) . This was passed by the National Diet in December 2006 and has been enforced since 9 January 2007. Section 2 of Article 3 of the Self Defense Forces Act was revised on 9 January 2007. JSDF activities abroad were elevated from "miscellaneous regulations" to "basic duties." This fundamentally changed

2646-594: The Communist and Socialist parties and encouraging the formation of labor unions. The crowning achievement of the first phase of the occupation was the promulgation at SCAP's behest in 1947 of a new Constitution of Japan . Most famously, Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution explicitly disavows war as an instrument of state policy and promises that Japan will never maintain a military. By this time however, Cold War tensions were already ramping up in Europe, where

2744-570: The Imperial Rule Assistance Association , forming a one-party state based on totalitarian values . Even so, there was much entrenched opposition from the government bureaucrats, and in the 1942 general election for the Japanese Diet , the military was still unable to do away with the last vestiges of party politics. This was partly due to the fact that the military itself was not a monolithic structure, but

2842-1052: The Japanese Armed Forces , are the unified 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 . Since the end of the Cold War , and particularly into the 21st century, increased tensions with North Korea , China , and Russia have reignited debate over

2940-489: The Korean War (1950–53) theater. This left Japan defenseless and vulnerable, and caused U.S. and Japanese conservative leaders alike to becoming increasingly aware of a pressing need to enter a mutual defense relationship with the United States in order to guarantee Japan's external security in the absence of a Japanese military. Meanwhile, on the Japanese domestic front, rampant inflation, continuing hunger and poverty, and

3038-615: The Kwantung Army embarked on unauthorized initiatives to protect Japanese interests in Manchuria, including the assassination of a former ally, warlord Zhang Zuolin , in hopes of sparking a general conflict. The Manchurian Incident of September 1931 did not fail, and it set the stage for the Japanese military takeover of all of Manchuria. Kwantung Army conspirators blew up a few meters of South Manchurian Railway Company track near Mukden , blamed it on Chinese saboteurs, and used

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3136-597: The League of Nations . However, with the beginning of the Shōwa era , the apparent collapse of the world economic order with the Great Depression starting in 1929, coupled with the imposition of trade barriers by western nations and an increasing radicalism in Japanese politics including issues of domestic terrorist violence (including an assassination attempt on the emperor in 1932 and a number of attempted coups d'état by ultra-nationalist secret societies) led to

3234-653: The Meiji period (whether in the military, politics or business) were ex - samurai or descendants of samurai , and shared a set of values and outlooks. The early Meiji government viewed Japan as threatened by western imperialism , and one of the prime motivations for the Fukoku Kyohei policy ("Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Armed Forces") was to strengthen Japan's economic and industrial foundations, so that

3332-605: The National Security Council was established, with the aim of establishing a forum which will undertake strategic discussions under the Prime Minister on a regular basis and as necessary on various national security issues and exercising a strong political leadership. On 17 December 2013, National Security Strategy was adopted by Cabinet decision. NSS sets the basic orientation of diplomatic and defense policies related to national security. NSS presents

3430-549: The Peace of Westphalia treaties in 1648. Although possession of nuclear weapons is not explicitly forbidden in the constitution, Japan does not own any. The Atomic Energy Basic Law of 1956 limits research, development, and use of nuclear power to peaceful uses only. Beginning in 1956, national policy embodied non-nuclear principles that forbade the nation from possessing or manufacturing nuclear weapons or allowing them to be introduced into its territories. In 1976, Japan ratified

3528-675: The Soviet occupation of Eastern European countries led Winston Churchill to give his 1946 " Iron Curtain " speech, as well as in Asia, where the tide was turning in favor of the Communists in the Chinese Civil War . These shifts in the geopolitical environment led to a profound shift in U.S. government and Allied Occupation thinking about Japan, and rather than focusing on punishing and weakening Japan for its wartime transgressions,

3626-665: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (adopted by the United Nations Security Council in 1968) and reiterated its intention never to "develop, use, or allow the transportation of nuclear weapons through its territory"; nonetheless, because of its advanced technological capabilities and large number of operating nuclear power plants, Japan is considered "nuclear capable", i.e., it could develop usable nuclear weapons within one year if

3724-413: The 1998 Winter Olympic Games, Vol. 2: Sixteen Days of Glory (PDF). Translated by Norman Kong. Nagano (Japan): NAOC. p. 319. ISBN   4784098267 . This 1998 Winter Olympics -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Japan Self-Defense Forces The Japan Self-Defense Forces , JSDF ( Japanese : 自衛隊 , Hepburn : Jieitai ) , also known as

3822-600: The 2030s. The Prime Minister is the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Military authority runs from the Prime Minister to the cabinet-level Minister of Defense of the Japanese Ministry of Defense . The Prime Minister and Minister of Defense are advised by the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff ( 統合幕僚長 , Tōgō Bakuryō-chō ) (currently Yoshihide Yoshida , 吉田圭秀), who heads

3920-490: The 84-meter long, 2,950-ton Taigei -class submarine on 4 October 2018. Japan's first submarine powered by lithium-ion batteries, it was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries . The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force used it for the first time in March 2020. The Japanese government approved the first-ever JGSDF dispatch to a peacekeeping operation that was not led by the United Nations. Two JGSDF officers monitored

4018-453: The Coastal Safety Force ( 海上警備隊 , Kaijō Keibitai ) , the waterborne counterpart of NPR, was also founded. The Security Treaty Between the United States and Japan was signed on 8 September 1951 and came into force on 28 April 1952. While the treaty allowed the United States to maintain military bases in Japan, it did not obligate US forces to defend Japan should Japan come under attack. However, as left-wing protests in Japan remained

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4116-477: The Coastal Safety Force was reorganized as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ( de facto post-war Japanese Navy), and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force ( de facto post-war Japanese Air Force) was established as a new branch of JSDF. General Keizō Hayashi was appointed the first Chairman of the Joint Staff Council—professional head of the three branches. The enabling legislation for this

4214-464: The Emperor as the basis of the Japanese state ( kokutai ) . Yamagata, like many Japanese, was strongly influenced by the recent striking success of Prussia in transforming itself from an agricultural state to a leading modern industrial and military power. He accepted Prussian political ideas, which favored military expansion abroad and authoritarian government at home. The Prussian model also devalued

4312-475: The February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , there has been growing military coordination between China and Russia. This has resulted in an uptick of military activity around Japan. On 4 August 2022, the Japanese government lodged formal protests to Beijing when 5 missiles landed near Hateruma in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. These Chinese missile launches and military exercises occurred in response to

4410-602: The German military model over the French system as the reason for German victory. In response to a Japanese request, Prussian Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke sent Meckel to Japan to become an O-yatoi gaikokujin (foreign advisor). In Japan, Meckel worked closely with future Prime Ministers General Katsura Tarō and General Yamagata Aritomo , and with army strategist General Kawakami Soroku . Meckel made numerous recommendations which were implemented, including reorganization of

4508-856: The Gulf War and the start of the Iraq War in 2003, the Japanese government revised its interpretation of Article 9, and thus during the Iraq War, Japan was able to dispatch noncombat ground forces in a logistical support role in support of U.S. operations in Iraq. On 27 March 2004, the Japan Defense Agency activated the Special Operations Group with the mandate under the JGSDF as its Counter-terrorist unit. On 8 June 2006,

4606-475: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) (currently Hiroshi Yamamura ), and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) (currently Yoshinari Marumo). The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff , a four star Admiral or General, is the highest-ranking military officer in the Japan Self-Defense Forces, and is the head of the Operational Authority over the Japan Self-Defense Forces, executing orders of

4704-565: The Japanese Army Staff College from 1909 through 1945. Although his period in Japan (1885–1888) was relatively short, Meckel had a tremendous impact on the development of the Japanese military. He is credited with having introduced Clausewitz 's military theories and the Prussian concept of war games ( Kriegsspiel ) in a process of refining tactics. By training some sixty of the highest-ranking Japanese officers of

4802-431: The Japanese armed forces. In 1878, the Imperial Japanese Army established the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff office, modelled after the German General Staff . This office was independent of, and equal (and later superior) to the Ministry of War of Japan in terms of authority. The Imperial Japanese Navy soon followed with the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff . These General Staff offices were responsible for

4900-405: The Japanese military looked towards Manchuria 's iron and coal, Indochina 's rubber , and China's vast resources. However, the army was at variance with the zaibatsu financial and industrial corporations on how to manage economic expansion, a conflict also affecting domestic politics. Also forming part of the basis for the growth of militarism was the freedom from civilian control enjoyed by

4998-411: The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. (2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as another war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized. Meanwhile, the Japanese government began

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5096-452: The Joint Staff ( 統合幕僚監部 , Tōgō Bakuryō Kanbu ) . The Joint Staff includes a Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff , the Vice Chief of Staff, Joint Staff (currently Yutaka Masuko), an Administrative Vice Chief of Staff, as well as many departments and special staffs. Each service branch is headed by their respective Chiefs of Staff; the Chief of Staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) (currently Gorō Yuasa),

5194-565: The Minister of Defense with directions from the Prime Minister. The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff supervises the service branches operations, and would assume command in the event of a war, but his or her powers are limited to policy formation and defense coordination during peacetime. The chain of Operational Authority runs from the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff to the Commanders of the several Operational Commands. Each service branches Chiefs of Staff (JGSDF, JMSDF, JASDF) have administrative control over their own services. On 4 December 2013,

5292-415: The US: the nose cone , the infrared seeker, the kinetic warhead, and the second-stage rocket motor. On 30 July 2018, Japan picked Lockheed Martin Corp to build a $ 1.2 billion radar for two ground-based Aegis ballistic missile defense stations. These are meant to guard against missile strikes. On the same day, Japan's Defense Ministry said to be considering to withdraw PAC3 missile interceptor units from

5390-431: The United Kingdom signed a defensive partnership which deepens military ties to counter "autocratic, coercive powers" in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Boris Johnson both condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine . On 5 May 2022, Japan and the United States signed an agreement. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kushida and U.S. President Joe Biden met together in Tokyo. Since

5488-429: The United States conducted the largest military exercise around Japan to date, known as Keen Sword. It included 57,000 sailors, marines and airmen. Of those, 47,000 service members were from the JSDF and 10,000 from the U.S. Armed Forces . A naval supply ship and frigate of the Royal Canadian Navy also participated. There were simulations of air combat, ballistic missile defense, and amphibious landings. Japan unveiled

5586-518: The United States in Japanese territory would be dangerous to each country's peace and safety, the revised treaty requires Japan and the United States to maintain capacities to resist common armed attacks; thus, it explains the need for US military bases in Japan. This had the effect of establishing a military alliance between Japan and the United States . The revised treaty has never been amended since 1960, and thus has lasted longer in its original form than any other alliance between two great powers since

5684-401: The United States wages war under "regional affairs." The Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law was passed on 29 October 2001. It allows the JSDF to contribute by itself to international efforts to the prevention and eradication of terrorism. While on duty, the JSDF can use weapons to protect itself and others who come under its control. Previously Japan's policy was non-involvement. In between

5782-413: The United States. Japan had plans to take over other Asian countries, which resulted in the US stripping any war materials and resources to be sold to the Japanese and freezing all Japanese assets and bank accounts in the US. The US fleet moved from being stationed in California to be moved in Pearl Harbor to somewhat control Japan's aggression and imposed on an embargo of essential materials, because Japan

5880-474: The aid of an ally under attack weakens alliances and endangers Japan. These were Japan's broadest changes to its defense laws since World War II. The JSDF Act was amended in 2015 to make it illegal for JSDF personnel/staff to participate in collective insubordination or to command forces without authority or in violation of orders, which was stated to be the reason Japan was involved in China in World War II. A Credit Suisse survey published in 2015 ranked Japan as

5978-460: The atmosphere was set where the military was able to act with little restraint. Japan had been involved in the Asian continent continuously from the First Sino-Japanese War, Boxer Rebellion , Russo-Japanese War, World War I and the Siberian Intervention . During the term of Prime Minister Tanaka Giichi from 1927 to 1929, Japan sent troops three times to China to obstruct Chiang Kai-shek 's unification campaign. In June 1928, adventurist officers of

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6076-470: The burden for its own self-defense. This reinterpretation of Article 9 cleared the way for the creation of a Defense Agency and the transformation of the National Security Force into a "Self-Defense Force" that would be a military in all but name. On 1 July 1954, the National Security Board was reorganized as the Defense Agency, and the National Security Force was reorganized afterwards as the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( de facto post-war Japanese Army),

6174-631: The capabilities of the JSDF as primarily for national defense. Currently, there are no long-range attack capabilities such as medium or intercontinental ballistic missiles . As of 2022, Japan was developing hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic missiles with a range of 3,000 km and cruise missiles with a range of more than 1000 km. However, due to the constraints of the Constitution, these are not for preemptive attacks on other countries, but for counter-attacks. In 1976, then Prime Minister Miki Takeo announced defense spending should be maintained within 1% of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP),

6272-403: The command structure of the army into divisions and regiments, thus increasing mobility, strengthening the army logistics and transportation structure with the major army bases connected by railways, establishing artillery and engineering regiments as independent commands, and revising the universal conscription system to abolish virtually all exceptions. A bust of Meckel was sited in front of

6370-400: The content of the policy of "Proactive Contribution to Peace" in a concrete manner and promotes better understanding of Japan's national security policy. On 25 July 2018, the Japanese government settled on a 3-year strategy to counter possible cyberattacks against key parts of the nation's infrastructure ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. In December 2022, Japan announced

6468-415: The country's northern and western region amid an easing of tensions with North Korea. Ministry officials told that North Korea is less likely to fire ballistic missiles after it held a summit with the United States the previous month. But the officials also said the ministry will maintain its order to destroy any incoming missiles. They added that the ministry will be ready to quickly redeploy the PAC3 units if

6566-436: The defense of Japan's remote islands, including the Senkaku Islands . The anti-surface strike capability will be used to help the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade ’s landing and recapture operations of remote islands. British troops of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) conducted a field exercise together for the first time with Japanese GSDF soldiers in Oyama , Shizuoka prefecture on 2 October 2018. This also marked

6664-496: The discredit they brought to numerous military figures, Japan's civilian leadership capitulated to the army's demands in the hope of ending domestic violence. Increases were seen in defense budgets, naval construction (Japan announced it would no longer accede to disarmament treaties), and patriotic indoctrination as Japan moved toward a wartime footing. In November 1936, the Anti-Comintern Pact , an agreement to exchange information and collaborate in preventing communist activities,

6762-422: The event as an excuse to invade and seize the vast territory. In Tokyo one month later, in the Imperial Colors Incident , military figures failed in an attempt to establish a military dictatorship , but again the news was suppressed and the military perpetrators were not punished. In January 1932, Japanese forces attacked Shanghai in the First Shanghai Incident , waging a three-month undeclared war there before

6860-495: The first time in history that foreign soldiers other than Americans have had field exercises on Japanese soil. The purpose was to improve their strategic partnership and security cooperation. The JGSDF and the Indian Army conducted their first joint military exercise in the Indian state of Mizoram from 27 October to 18 November 2018, practicing anti-terror drills and improving bilateral cooperation between 60 Japanese and Indian officers. From 29 October to 2 November 2018, Japan and

6958-521: The focus shifted to rebuilding and strengthening Japan as a potential ally in the emerging global Cold War, leading to a reversal of many earlier Occupation policies that has come to be known as the " Reverse Course ." As part of this shift, MacArthur and other U.S. leaders began to question the wisdom of Japan's unilateral renunciation of all military capabilities, a renunciation that they themselves had so recently insisted upon. These sentiments were intensified in 1950 as Occupation troops began to be moved to

7056-830: The form of “item requests”, without specific amounts, and the initial procurement of the lead items are expected to clear legislation by FY2023. Construction is to begin in the following year of FY2024. At 20,000 tons each, both vessels will be the largest surface combatant warships operated by the JMSDF. In light of tensions over the Senkaku Islands, Japan began to assemble the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade in 2016, its first marine unit since World War II, designed to conduct amphibious operations and to recover any Japanese islands taken by an adversary. The Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade

7154-498: The government. A turning point came with the ratification of the London Naval Treaty of 1930. Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi and his Minseito party agreed to a treaty which would severely limit Japanese naval power. This treaty was strongly opposed by the military, who claimed that it would endanger national defense, and was portrayed by the opposition Rikken Seiyukai party as having been forced upon Japan by

7252-508: The late Meiji period was coupled with the rise of secret and semi-secret patriotic societies, such as the Gen'yōsha (1881) and Kokuryukai (1901), which coupled political activities with paramilitary activities and military intelligence , and supported expansionism overseas as a solution to Japan's domestic issues. Japan felt looked down on by Western countries during the late 19th century. The phrase fukoku kyōhei (rich nation, strong army)

7350-812: The nature of the JSDF because its activities were no longer solely defensive. JMSDF ships can be dispatched worldwide such as in activities against pirates. The JSDF's first postwar overseas base was established in Djibouti (July 2010). On 18 September 2015, the National Diet enacted the 2015 Japanese military legislation , a series of laws that allow Japan's Self-Defense Forces to defend allies in combat. The JSDF may provide material support to allies engaged in combat overseas. The new law also allows JSDF troops to defend weapons platforms belonging to Japan's allies if doing so would somehow contribute to Japan's defense. The justification being that not defending or coming to

7448-680: The notion of civilian control over the independent military, which meant that in Japan, as in Germany, the military could develop into a state within a state, thus exercising greater influence on politics in general. Following the German victory in the Franco-Prussian War , the Army Staff College and the Japanese General Staff paid close attention to Major Jakob Meckel 's views on the superiority of

7546-407: The party was suppressed during the mid-1930s within Japan. Personal opposition included individuals from the fields of party politics, business and culture. Some notable examples include: The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941. Multiple events led to the attack , such as the Japanese peoples' opposition to Westernism and the breaking off of negotiations between Japan and

7644-581: The planning and execution of military operations, and reported directly to the emperor. As the Chiefs of the General Staff were not cabinet ministers, they did not report to the Prime Minister of Japan , and were thus completely independent of any civilian oversight or control. The Army and the Navy also had decisive say on the formation (and survival) of any civilian government. Since the law required that

7742-477: The political situation changes significantly. Thus, many analysts consider Japan a de facto nuclear state . Japan is often said to be a "screwdriver's turn" away from possessing nuclear weapons or possessing a "bomb in the basement". In 1983, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone pledged to make Japan an " unsinkable aircraft carrier in the Pacific", assisting the United States in defending against

7840-441: The posts of Army Minister and Navy Minister be filled by active-duty officers nominated by their respective services, and since the law also required that a prime minister resign if he could not fill all of his cabinet posts, both the Army and the Navy had final say on the formation of a cabinet, and could bring down the cabinet at any time by withdrawing their minister and refusing to nominate a successor. In reality, while this tactic

7938-536: The rapid expansion of leftist parties and labor unions led Occupation authorities to fear that Japan was ripe for communist exploitation or even a communist revolution and to believe that conservative and anti-communist forces in Japan needed to be strengthened. Accordingly, in July 1950, Occupation authorities authorized the establishment of a National Police Reserve ( 警察予備隊 , Keisatsu-yobitai ) , consisting of 75,000 men equipped with light infantry weapons. In 1952,

8036-477: The region and the international community. Japan activated the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade , its first marine unit since World War II, on 7 April 2018. It is trained to counter invaders from occupying Japanese islands. The Ministry of Defense said that beginning 1 October 2018, the maximum age for enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officer applicants would be raised from 26 to 32 to secure "a stable supply of Self-Defense Forces [military] personnel amid

8134-561: The situation changes. On August 31, 2022, the Japan Ministry of Defense announced that Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will operate two "Aegis system equipped ships" ( Japanese : イージス・システム搭載艦 ) to replace its earlier cancellation of the Aegis Ashore program, commissioning one ship by the end of fiscal year 2027, and the other by the end of FY2028. The budget for design and other related expenses are to be submitted in

8232-713: The status of the JSDF and their relationship to Japanese society . The JSDF have prioritized greater cooperation and partnership with Australia , India , Taiwan , South Korea , Singapore , the United Kingdom , and the United States , as well as acquiring new equipment and hardware. Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers on August 15, 1945, and officially exchanged instruments of surrender in Tokyo Bay on September 2, after which Japan underwent

8330-549: The strength of a nation. It was most prominent from the start of conscription after the Meiji Restoration until the Japanese defeat in World War II , roughly 1873 to 1945. Since then, pacifism has been enshrined in the postwar Constitution of Japan as one of its key tenets. The military had a strong influence on Japanese society from the Meiji Restoration . Almost all leaders in Japanese society during

8428-550: The threat of Soviet bombers. In 1990, the United States called on its ally Japan for assistance in the Gulf War . However, then-current Japanese interpretation of Article 9 forbade the overseas dispatch of Japanese military troops. Accordingly, Japan contributed $ 9 billion in monetary support. On 28 May 1999, the Regional Affairs Law was enacted. It allows Japan to automatically participate as "rear support" if

8526-671: The time in tactics, strategy and organization, he was able to replace the previous influences of the French advisors with his own philosophies. Meckel especially reinforced Hermann Roesler 's ideal of subservience to the Emperor , as expressly codified in Articles XI-XIII of the Meiji Constitution , by teaching his pupils that Prussian military success was a consequence of the officer class's unswerving loyalty to their sovereign Emperor. The rise of political parties in

8624-490: The unequal status of Japan in the 1951 treaty by adding mutual defense obligations and which remains in force today. The U.S. is required to give prior notice to Japan of any mobilization of US forces based in Japan. The US is also prohibited from exerting any power on domestic issues within Japan. The treaty obligates Japan and the United States to assist each other if there's an armed attack in territories administered by Japan. Because it states that any attack against Japan or

8722-522: The various competitions, Olympic Radio and Television Organization (ORTO'98) staff, and SDF personnel. On November 27, 1991, the executive board was convened for the first time. Hanazawa, Nahomi (1999). The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun (ed.). Official Report of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, Vol. 1: Planning and Support (PDF). Translated by Norman Kong. Nagano (Japan): NAOC. p. 319. ISBN   4784098259 . Hanazawa, Nahomi (1999). The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun (ed.). Official Report of

8820-518: The world's fourth most-powerful military behind Russia, China, and United States. Since March 2016, Japan's Legislation for Peace and Security enables seamless responses of the JSDF to any situation to protect the lives and livelihood of Japanese citizens. It also increases proactive contributions to peace and security in the world and deepens cooperation with partners. This enhanced the Japan-US alliance as global partners to promote peace and security in

8918-614: Was activated on 7 April 2018, in a ceremony at JGSDF's Camp Ainoura in Sasebo, on the southwest island of Kyushu. The brigade was established to protect and defend Japanese or Japanese-claimed islands along the edge of the East China Sea as Chinese defense spending and interest in the area rose. Related to the defense of the southwestern islands, Japan has initiated a program to convert its Izumo-class destroyer two-ship fleet from "helicopter carrier destroyers" to aircraft carriers with

9016-553: Was created during this time and shows how Japanese officials saw imperialism as the way to gain respect and power. With a more aggressive foreign policy, and victory over China in the First Sino-Japanese War and over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War , Japan joined the imperialist powers. The need for a strong military to secure Japan's new overseas empire was strengthened by a sense that only through

9114-408: Was even reflected in the clothing trends of the 1930s. Male kimono designs adopted explicitly militaristic imagery, including soldiers, bombers and tanks. These designs were not on public display but on linings and undergarments. They symbolised – or in the case of boy's clothes, were hoped to bring about – the alignment of the individual's goals with those of Japan as

9212-516: Was rent internally with its own political factions . Even Japan's wartime Prime Minister, Hideki Tōjō , had difficulty controlling portions of his own military. Japan's overseas possessions, greatly extended as a result of early successes in the Pacific War were organized into a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere , which was to have integrated Asia politically and economically—under Japanese leadership—against Western domination. Militarism

9310-761: Was signed by Japan and Germany ( Italy joined a year later). War was launched against China with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of July 7, 1937 in which a clash near Beijing between Chinese and Japanese troops quickly escalated into the full-scale warfare of the Second Sino-Japanese War , followed by the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and the Pacific War . Despite the military's long tradition of independence from civilian control, its efforts at staging

9408-492: Was the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Act  [ ja ] (Act No. 165 of 1954). The Far East Air Force , U.S. Air Force, announced on 6 January 1955 that 85 aircraft would be turned over to the fledgling Japanese air force on about 15 January, the first equipment of the new force. On 19 January 1960, the United States and Japan signed a revised version of the US-Japan Security Treaty which corrected

9506-712: Was trying to take over and control more territories. Despite efforts to totally militarize Japanese society during the war, including such measures as the National Service Draft Ordinance and the National Spiritual Mobilization Movement , Japanese militarism was discredited by the failure of Japan's military in World War II and by the American occupation . After the surrender of Japan , many of its former military leaders were tried for war crimes before

9604-567: Was used only one time (ironically to prevent a General, Kazushige Ugaki , from becoming Prime Minister in 1937), the threat always loomed large when the military made any demands on the civilian leadership. During the Taishō period , Japan saw a short period of democratic rule (the so-called "Taisho democracy"), and several diplomatic attempts were made to encourage peace, such as the Washington Naval Treaty and participation in

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