The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force protects Japan at sea. It's part of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and was created after World War II when the Imperial Japanese Navy dissolved. The JMSDF has 154 ships, 346 aircraft, and 50,800 personnel.
History
Origin
After Japan's defeat in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy was disbanded, and some of its ships, like the battleship Nagato, were taken by the Allies. The remaining fleet was initially used for repatriating Japanese soldiers and minesweeping under the Second Bureau of the Demobilization Ministry. The minesweeping duties were later transferred to the Maritime Safety Agency, maintaining naval resources.
The 1947 Constitution included Article 9 renouncing war, allowing Japan to maintain military forces for self-defense. Cold War pressures led the United States to support Japan's self-defense capabilities. In 1952, the Safety Security Force (SSF) was formed within the Maritime Safety Agency, incorporating military vessels given by the U.S. In 1954, the JMSDF was formally established as the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). The JMSDF's early ships included former U.S. Navy destroyers. With the Cold War threat from the Soviet Navy, the JMSDF focused on an anti-submarine role.
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