History Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

1 history

1.1 origin
1.2 imperial japanese navy
1.3 japanese maritime self-defense force
1.4 post cold war

history





origin


naval battle of dan-no-ura in 1185

japan has long history of naval interaction asian continent, involving transportation of troops, starting @ least beginning of kofun period in 3rd century. following attempts @ mongol invasions of japan kublai khan in 1274 , 1281, japanese wakō became active in plundering coast of chinese empire.

a 16th-century japanese atakebune coastal warship.

japan undertook major naval building efforts in 16th century, during warring states period, when feudal rulers vying supremacy built vast coastal navies of several hundred ships. around time, japan may have developed 1 of world s first ironclad warships, when oda nobunaga (a japanese daimyo) had 6 iron-covered oatakebune made in 1576.

in 1588, toyotomi hideyoshi issued ban on wakō piracy; pirates became vassals of hideyoshi , comprised naval force used in japanese invasion of korea.

japan built first large ocean-going warships in beginning of 17th century, following contact european countries during nanban trade period. in 1613, daimyo of sendai, in agreement tokugawa shogunate, built date maru. 500 ton galleon-type ship transported japanese embassy of hasekura tsunenaga americas , europe. 1604 onwards, 350 red seal ships, armed , incorporating european technology, commissioned shogunate, southeast asian trade.

imperial japanese navy


the british-built ryūjō flagship of imperial japanese navy until 1881.

from 1868, restored meiji emperor continued reforms industrialize , militarize japan prevent united states , european powers overwhelming it. on 17 january 1868, ministry of military affairs established, iwakura tomomi, shimazu tadayoshi , prince komatsu-no-miya akihito first secretaries.

on 26 march 1868, first naval review held in japan (in osaka bay), 6 ships private domainal navies of saga, chōshū, satsuma, kurume, kumamoto , hiroshima participating. total tonnage of these ships 2,252 tons, far smaller tonnage of single foreign vessel (from french navy) participated. in july 1869, imperial japanese navy formally established, 2 months after last military engagement of boshin war – private navies of japanese nobles abolished , 11 ships added 7 surviving vessels of defunct tokugawa bakufu navy, including kankō maru, japan s first steam warship. formed core of new imperial japanese navy.

an 1872 edict officially separated japanese navy japanese army. politicians enomoto takeaki set out use navy expand islands south of japan in similar fashion army s northern , western expansion. navy sought upgrade fleet blue water navy , used cruises expand japanese consciousness on southern islands. enomoto s policies helped navy expand , incorporate many different islands japanese empire, including iwo jima in 1889. navy continued expand , incorporate political influence throughout twentieth century.

japanese maritime self-defense force

yamato potent symbol of imperial japanese navy

following japan s defeat in world war ii, imperial japanese navy dissolved potsdam declaration acceptance. ships disarmed, , of them, such battleship nagato, taken allied powers reparation. remaining ships used repatriation of japanese soldiers abroad , minesweeping in area around japan, under control of second bureau of demobilization ministry. minesweeping fleet transferred newly formed maritime safety agency, helped maintain resources , expertise of navy.

japan s 1947 constitution drawn after conclusion of war, article 9 specifying japanese people forever renounce war sovereign right of nation , threat or use of force means of settling international disputes. prevalent view in japan article allows military forces kept purposes of self-defense. due cold war pressures, united states happy japan provide part of own defense, rather have rely on american forces.

in 1952, coastal safety force formed within maritime safety agency, incorporating minesweeping fleet , other military vessels, destroyers, given united states. in 1954, coastal safety force separated, , jmsdf formally created naval branch of japanese self-defense force (jsdf), following passage of 1954 self-defense forces law.

the first ships in jmsdf former u.s. navy destroyers, transferred japanese control in 1954. in 1956, jmsdf received first domestically produced destroyer since world war ii, harukaze. due cold war threat posed soviet navy s sizable , powerful submarine fleet, jmsdf tasked anti-submarine role.

post cold war

following end of cold war, role of jmsdf has vastly changed. in 1991, after international pressure, jmsdf dispatched 4 minesweepers, fleet oiler (jds tokiwa) , minesweeping tender (jds hayasse) persian gulf in aftermath of gulf war, under name of operation gulf dawn, clear mines sown saddam hussein s defending forces; , starting mission cambodia in 1993 when jsdf personnel supported jds towada, has been active in number of un-led peace keeping operations throughout asia. in 1993, commissioned first aegis-equipped destroyer, kongō. has been active in joint naval exercises other countries, such united states. jmsdf has dispatched number of destroyers on rotating schedule indian ocean in escort role allied vessels part of un-led operation enduring freedom.

with increase in tensions north korea following 1993 test of nodong-1 missile , 1998 test of taepodong-1 missile on northern japan, jmsdf has stepped role in air defense. ship-based anti-ballistic missile system test-fired on 18 december 2007 , has been installed on japan s aegis-equipped destroyers. jmsdf, along japan coast guard, has been active in preventing north korean infiltrators reaching japan , in december 2001, engaged , sank north korean spy ship.