The Japanese army is mainly composed of commander-in-chief institutions, organs and army, navy and air force.
(a) Commander-in-Chief institutions and organs
The commander-in-chief of the Japanese army refers to the organs and their representatives who have command and supervision over the army, including the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, the Security Conference, the Defense Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the General Staff of various services. Its responsibilities and organization will be detailed in the next section.
Japanese military organs mainly refer to the institutions under the Defense Agency that are responsible for military training in military academies, military scientific research, procurement and supply, medical care, conscription and other security services, including universities, defense research institutes, technical research headquarters, procurement implementation headquarters, service supply agencies, hospitals, local liaison departments, etc. The Defense Facilities Department under the Defense Agency, as the external bureau of the Defense Agency, is also one of the organs of the Japanese army. These organs are divided into two categories: similar organs and military organs. * * * The same organs are the operational organs of the three armed forces, usually under the command and supervision of the chief of the Defense Agency. Some are directly under the defense agency in order, and some are compiled in the order of various services. The command and supervision of the same organ compiled in the sequence of various services shall be carried out by the chief of the defense agency through the chief of staff of various services.
(2) Army
The army is mainly responsible for directly defending territorial and national security, excluding aggression, responding to so-called "peripheral events" and peacekeeping. In addition, it is also responsible for emergency rescue and disaster relief as stipulated in the new outline. The army is composed of the army general staff, troops and institutions, and is under the command and supervision of the minister of national defense (through the army chief of staff). The army forces include five military regions and other units directly controlled by the chief of the defense agency. The military region consists of military command, division and other directly affiliated units. Division is the basic organizational combat corps of the army, which consists of division headquarters, regiments and other directly affiliated units. The organs of the army include 15 school, supply control headquarters and five supply offices (adapted from 1997 national defense plan). Sports schools, central hospitals, 7 regional hospitals and 50 local liaison departments are the same organs of the three armed forces and are managed by the army chief of staff.
(3) Navy
The navy is mainly responsible for defending the territory, protecting the safety of maritime traffic lines in the surrounding waters, and responding to so-called "peripheral events." In addition, it is also responsible for mine clearance, transportation, emergency rescue and disaster relief in peacekeeping. The navy is composed of the general staff of the navy, troops and organs, and is under the command and supervision of the Minister of National Defense (through the chief of staff of the navy). The naval forces include the joint fleet, five local teams, the education aviation regiment, the training fleet and other units directly under the Defense Agency. As the main mobile strike force responsible for maritime operations, the joint fleet consists of the joint fleet command, escort fleet, aviation group, submarine fleet, mine-clearing team group, development guidance team group and other directly affiliated units. As the combat force in charge of offshore defense, the local team consists of the local team headquarters, guard, minesweeper, torpedo boat, base team, aviation team, education team, communication team, guard team, "guard team" and other directly affiliated units. The Education Aviation Corps consists of the Education Aviation Corps Command, the Education Aviation Corps and other directly affiliated units. The training fleet consists of the training fleet headquarters, training teams and other directly affiliated units. The organs of the navy are six schools and logistics supply institutions. The five regional hospitals are the same organ of the three armed forces and are managed by the chief of staff of the navy.
(4) Air Force
The air force is mainly responsible for defending the country from aggression and responding to so-called "peripheral events" by ensuring the air superiority of airspace and its surrounding airspace. In addition, it is also responsible for peacekeeping transportation and evacuation of Japanese nationals in crisis areas. The Air Force is composed of the Air Force General Staff, troops and organs under the command and supervision of the Chief of Defense (through the Air Force Chief of Staff). Air Force troops include aviation corps, aviation support group, aviation education group, aviation development experimental group and other units directly under the Defense Agency. Aviation is the main force responsible for aviation operations. It is compiled by aviation headquarters, three aviation units, 1 aviation mixed group and other directly affiliated units. Aviation support group consists of aviation support group headquarters, aviation rescue group, three transport aviation teams, aviation safety control group, aviation meteorology group and other directly affiliated units. The aviation teaching group consists of the headquarters of aviation education group, 2 training aviation groups, 3 aviation education groups and aviation teaching teams. The aviation development experimental group consists of the aviation development experimental group headquarters, aviation development experimental group, electronic development experimental group, aviation medical experimental group and other directly affiliated units. The organs of the air force include seven schools and supply headquarters. There are four supply offices in the supply headquarters. The three regional hospitals are organs of the three armed forces and are managed by the Air Force Chief of Staff.