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Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Air warfare branch of Japan's armed forces

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF, 空自, Kūji), known as the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, protects Japanese airspace and conducts space operations, including cyberwarfare and electronic warfare. It performs combat air patrols around Japan and maintains early-warning radar systems. The JASDF features the Blue Impulse aerobatic team and supports UN peacekeeping air transport. As of 2018, it had about 49,913 personnel and operated roughly 712 aircraft, including 321 fighters. In 2027, it will be renamed the Japan Air and Space Self-Defense Force (Kōkū Uchū Jieitai) to emphasize the growing role of space defense.

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History

See also: Military history of Japan

Japan did not have a separate air force before and during World War II. Aviation operations were carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (Kōkūtai). Following defeat in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy (including their respective Air Services) were disbanded in 1945.

Under the supervision of the United States occupation authorities, a pacifist Japanese government was appointed in place of the militaristic governments that administered the Empire of Japan during the war. The new government drafted a postwar constitution. While the primary intent of this endeavor was to place the country's political structure on a firmly democratic footing, the constitution endorsed by the United States and ratified by the Diet of Japan in 1947 also contained Article 9 which strictly prohibited Japan from having a regular military.

The U.S. occupation formally ended in 1952, although a large American garrison remained in Japan, to defend the country. The victory of the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War and the onset of the Korean War led the Americans to reconsider what role the Japanese could be expected to play in, at the very least, defending their own home islands against growing Chinese, Soviet and North Korean power in the region. Under U.S. guidance, 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), 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 as the first Chairman of Joint Staff Council—professional head of the three branches. The enabling legislation for this was the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Act (Act No. 165 of 1954).56

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.7

The JASDF Air Defense Command (Japan) [ja] Headquarters was relocated from Fuchu Air Base to Yokota Air Base on March 26, 2012. The relocation is due to the 2002 Defense Policy Review Initiative. The purpose is to strengthen the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance. The ADC Headquarters does command and control operations to defend Japanese airspace.

Until 2015, women were banned from becoming fighter jet and reconnaissance aircraft pilots. The first female pilot of an F-15 joined the ranks, along with three other female pilots currently in training, in 2018.8

Since 2008, the number of scrambles to intercept Chinese aircraft has increased rapidly. In 2010 there were scrambles against 31 Chinese aircraft and 193 Russian aircraft. In 2018 scrambles increased to against 638 Chinese aircraft and against 343 Russian aircraft. Chinese aircraft flight paths are mostly in the East China Sea, around the Ryukyu Islands and through the Korea Strait. Russia frequently conducts flights orbiting Japan with military aircraft.9

The Ministry of Defense reported in fiscal 2018 that there were 999 scrambles by JASDF jets against mainly Chinese and Russian unidentified aircraft. That is the second highest amount of scrambles by the JASDF since 1958. 638 (64%) were Chinese aircraft and 343 (34%) were Russian aircraft. On June 20, 2019, two Russian bombers (Tupolev Tu-95) violated Japanese airspace twice on the same day.10

The Diet of Japan approved the modification of the ships of the Izumo-class to operate STOVL aircraft and in 2019 ordered 42 STOVL Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs.11 The US Marines will operate their own STOVL F-35s from the Izumo-class in cooperation with the ship's crew to build up a Japanese capability to operate this type. The current plan is for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to operate the STOVL F-35B from land bases once delivered.12

As of 2020, the JASDF is under increasing pressure to intercept warplanes from China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) close to entering its air space. As of the last fiscal year ending in March 2020, the JASDF scrambled aircraft a record 947 times to intercept PLAAF warplanes. This has resulted in heavy wear and tear on their F-15J fighter aircraft,13 due to this, as of 2021, the JASDF intercepts fewer PLAAF warplane approaches and has deployed F-35 fighter jets to supplement the F-15J fighter jets in this role.1415

On 17 March 2021, the Mitsubishi F-4EJ Phantom II was retired after 50 years of service with the JASDF, being replaced by the F-35A.16

During the 9 months of fiscal year 2021, JASDF fighters scrambled against 785 inbound flights.17 Chinese aircraft were intercepted 571 times (70%), and 199 Russian aircraft.18 The majority of the Chinese aircraft flew over Okinawa prefecture.19

On 22 October 2023, the JASDF conducted its first-ever trilateral exercise with the South Korean and United States air forces near the Korean Peninsula.20

The JASDF's Mitsubishi F-2 fighters are slated to be replaced by a future sixth-generation stealth fighter developed under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). This aircraft would be designed by a joint venture set-up in mid-2025 with manufacturing and assembly being subcontracted to Britain's BAE Systems, Italy's Leonardo, and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.21

A trilateral organisation called the GCAP International Government Organization (GIGO) would oversee the entire project; it would be headquartered in the UK and led by former Japanese Vice Minister of Defense Masami Oka.22 The fighter is slated to be deployed by 2035 and would be a crewed platform which would possibly be capable of directing other autonomous aircraft.2324

Organization

Major units of the JASDF are the Air Defense Command, Air Support Command, Air Training Command, Air Development and Test Command, and Air Materiel Command. The Air Support Command is responsible for direct support of operational forces in rescue, transportation, control, weather monitoring and inspection. The Air Training Command is responsible for basic flying and technical training. The Air Development and Test Command, in addition to overseeing equipment research and development, is also responsible for research and development in such areas as flight medicine. On May 19, 2020, the JASDF officially inaugurated its Space Operation Squadron.25

The Air Defense Command has northern, central, and western regional headquarters located at Misawa, Iruma, and Kasuga, respectively and the Southwestern Composite Air Division based at Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. All four regional headquarters control surface-to-air missile units of both the JASDF and the JGSDF located in their respective areas.

YokotaChitoseMisawaKomatsuHyakuriIrumaNyutabaruTsuikiKasugaNahaFuchūKomakiMihoHamamatsuMatsushimaShizuhamaHōfuAshiyaGifuclass=notpageimage| Fighter bases: F-15J/F-15J Eagle F-35A Lightning II F-2A/BTraining bases: T-4 T-7 Other bases:

Ranks

Main article: Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officers
 Japan Air Self-Defense Force26
  • v
  • t
  • e
幕僚長たる空将Bakuryōchō-taru-kūshō空将Kūshō空将補Kūshō-ho1等空佐Ittō kūsa2等空佐Nitō kūsa3等空佐Santō kūsa1等空尉Ittō kūi2等空尉Nitō kūi3等空尉Santō kūi准空尉Jun kūi

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
 Japan Air Self-Defense Force27
  • v
  • t
  • e
空曹長Kūsōchō1等空曹Ittō kūsō2等空曹Nitō kūsō3等空曹Santō kūsō空士長Kūshichō1等空士Ittō kūshi2等空士Nitō kūshi自衛官候補生Jieikan kōhosei

Equipment

See also: List of military aircraft of Japan

The JASDF maintains an integrated network of radar installations and air defense direction centers throughout the country known as the Basic Air Defense Ground Environment. In the late 1980s, the system was modernized and augmented with E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. The nation relies on fighter-interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missiles to intercept hostile aircraft. Both of these systems were improved from the beginning of the late 1980s. Outmoded aircraft were replaced in the early 1990s with more sophisticated models, and Nike-J missiles have been replaced with the modern Patriot PAC-2 and PAC-3 system and M167 VADS.2829 The JASDF also provides air support for ground and sea operations of the JGSDF and the JMSDF and air defense for bases of all the forces. Base defenses were upgraded in the late 1980s with new surface-to-air missiles, modern antiaircraft artillery and new fixed and mobile aircraft shelters.

Aircraft

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat aircraft
F-15 EagleUnited States / JapanAir superiorityF-15J15530licensed produced by Mitsubishi
Conversion trainerF-15DJ4431
F-35 Lightning IIUnited StatesMultiroleF-35A/B38321 on order33
Mitsubishi F-2JapanMultiroleF-2A6234based on the Lockheed Martin F-16
Conversion trainerF-2B2335
AWACS
Boeing E-767United StatesAEW&C436
E-2 HawkeyeUnited StatesAEW&CE-2C/D18379 on order3839
Reconnaissance
Kawasaki C-2JapanReconnaissanceRC-2140
Electronic warfare
Kawasaki C-1JapanElectronic warfareEC-1141
NAMC YS-11JapanElectronic warfare342retired in 202143
Tanker
Boeing KC-767United StatesAerial refuelingKC-767J444
Boeing KC-46 PegasusUnited StatesAerial refueling / TransportKC-46A4452 on order46
Lockheed Martin KC-130United StatesAerial refuelingKC-130H247
Transport
Boeing 777United StatesVIP transport777-300ER248call sign Japanese Air Force One
Hawker 800United KingdomSAR / TransportU-125A2649
Kawasaki C-1JapanTransport450
Kawasaki C-2JapanTransport13515 on order52
Lockheed C-130 HerculesUnited StatesTransportC-130H1453
Gulfstream IVUnited StatesFlight inspection55455
British Aerospace 125United KingdomFlight inspection256
Cessna Citation LatitudeUnited StatesFlight inspection / Utility2571 on order
Helicopters
Boeing CH-47 ChinookUnited StatesTransport / UtilityCH-47J1758Licensed built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. 5 on order.59
Sikorsky UH-60 Black HawkUnited StatesSAR / Utility60UH-60J5761licensed built by Mitsubishi
Trainer aircraft
Fuji T-7JapanLight trainer4962
Hawker 400United StatesJet trainerT-1 Jayhawk1363
Kawasaki T-4JapanJet trainer18064
UAV
RQ-4 Global HawkUnited StatesSurveillanceRQ-4B12 on order65

Future aircraft

Japan has unveiled a plan to enhance its future military equipment, focusing on acquiring additional RC-2 aircraft for command, control, and signal intelligence missions. The plan also includes developing a stand-off electronic warfare aircraft to boost electromagnetic warfare and network capabilities. Additionally, Japan aims to strengthen its unmanned aircraft fleet for intelligence gathering and combat missions.66

Japan plans to order 1 RC-2 aircraft with the 2024 budget.67

Japan plans to order 4 C-2 SOJ electronic warfare aircraft to replace the EC-1 fleet.68

Detailed F-35 orders

Fiscal yearBudget

(¥ billion)

F-35 yearly procurementNotes
F-35AF-35B
Target total–10542147 planned69
2025¥ 185.708370
2024¥ 112.008–71
¥ 128.20–772
2023¥ 106.908–73
¥ 143.50–874
2022¥ 76.808–75
¥ 51.00–476
2021¥ 39.104–77
¥ 25.90–278
2020¥ 28.103–79
¥ 79.30–680
2019¥ 68.106–81
2018¥ 78.506–82
2017¥ 88.006–83
2016¥ 108.406–84
2015¥ 103.206–85
2014¥ 63.804–86
2013¥ 29.902–87
2012¥ 39.504–88
Total¥ 1370.2

(+ ¥ 185.70)

71

(+ 8)

27

(+ 3)

–
98

(+ 11)

–
  Targeted number of vehicles   Budget request

Culture and traditions

JASDF Flag

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force flag was first adopted in 1955 after the JASDF was created in 1954. It is based on a cap badge made in 1954. The flag is cobalt blue with a gold winged eagle on top of a combined star, the moon, the Hinomaru sun disc and clouds.89 The latest version of the JASDF flag was re-adopted on 19 March 2001.90 The JASDF flag is different from the JSDF flag and the JGSDF flag. It is determined by a directive regarding the flags of the JSDF.

Food

The dish of the JASDF is deep-fried chicken karaage,91 such as Okinawan-style deep-fried chicken.92 The JASDF tried to increase its popularity by promoting its fried chicken recipe since 2018.93 There were competitions between the JMSDF's popular curry.94

See also

  • Japan portal
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

References

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