What is JSDF's task?

Few days ago, when I did a questionnaire survey about JSDF, a lot of people answered “I don’t know about JSDF well”. I think many of Japanese people would answer “I don’t know about JSDF well” too. So today, I would like to introduce the tasks which JSDF cope with every day.

As I introduced before, JSDF is set up to defend Japan. So their main task is, in short, “To defend Japan”. But to defend Japan, there are a lot of tasks to do. So I would like to divide their tasks into some groups and introduce them to follow in order.

First, I would like to introduce the tasks which related to “Japanese self defense” directly.

Nowadays, Japanese conflicts with some countries (needless to say, they are China and Korea) become more and more seriously. The war between Japanese and them deserve broken out at any time. When the war broken out, Japan must be attacked by them. Then, Japan has to do Self-Defense. If JSDF doesn’t exist, Japan can’t achieve it. Undoubtedly, there is U.S. Army in Japan and if some wars between Japan and some country break out, they would attack Japanese enemies with JSDF according to the U.S.‐Japan Security Treaty. But it is doubtful that U.S. Army really attacks our enemies with JSDF. So JSDF must prepare for the war without U.S. Army. Then, to achieve it, what JSDF have to do? Their tasks can categorize like as follows roughly.

JGSDF…To intercept enemies which land on Japan and to get back some island occupied by enemies.

JMSDF…To sink some ships which belong to enemy’s forces and do the naval blockage.

JASDF…To intercept the fighters, bombers and sometimes ICBM(長距離弾道ミサイル、大陸間弾道ミサイル).

Second, I would like to introduce about their task “Disaster Relief”

In 2011, March 11, terrible earthquake attacked East Japan. A lot of cities had heavy damage by earthquake and tsunami, almost all infrastructures were destroyed. A lot of people were forced to live in shelter but there were no foods, no fuel, no blankets because everything was brought by earthquake and tsunami. Then, people need some relief. But there were few things which rescue could do because their equipment couldn’t use in mountain of rubble. So JSDF carry a lot of relief supplies and rescued many people in place of rescue. As I just introduced, JSDF’s tasks is not only “Japanese Self Defense” but also “Disaster relief” is their task. As general, when some disaster attack Japanese city, almost all equipment which rescue and fire office have can’t be used. But JSDF’s can be used in such situation because their equipment is designed to use in such situation. So JSDF could save many people before in every case. If there were not JSDF in Japan, millions of lives would be lost.

In addition, JSDF did another task. For example PKO is the famous JSDF’s task. They work not only in Japan but also in the world. we have to remember that our lives is supported by their works.