The is the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's

special forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

unit, established on March 27, 2004. Their mission is infiltration into enemy territory, reconnaissance, sabotage, and hostage rescue, and conducting military operations against

guerrillas Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, Partisan (military), partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include Children in the military, recruite ...

or enemy

commandos A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opp ...

. The unit is based in Camp Narashino in

Funabashi is a Cities of Japan, city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 644,668 in 309,238 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . It is the Greater Tokyo Area's 7th most populat ...

, Chiba, along with the 1st Airborne Brigade. The SFGp has been referred to as

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Delta Force The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (1st SFOD-D), also known as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as Task Force Green, is a Special operation forces, special operat ...

, due to their specialized role in the

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force The , , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service branches. New military guidelines, announced in December 2010, direct ...

. The initial operators trained with the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

. The civilian counterpart of the SFGp is the Special Assault Teams of the

prefectural police department In the law enforcement system in Japan, are prefecture-level law enforcement agencies responsible for policing, law enforcement, and public security within their respective prefectures of Japan. Although prefectural police are, in principle, re ...

s under the Japanese

National Police Agency National Police may refer to the national police forces of several countries: *Afghanistan: Afghan National Police *Haiti: Haitian National Police *Canada: Royal Canadian Mounted Police *Colombia: National Police of Colombia *Cuba: National Revolut ...

. While current manpower is classified, an estimated 300 operators are known to serve in the SFGp.

History

In 1998, the Defense Agency had proposed the formation of a unit within the JGSDF that would handle tasks such as

counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to co ...

with a selected group of JGSDF soldiers from the 1st Airborne Brigade sent to the United States to be trained by

Green Berets The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service Berets of the United States Army, headgear, is a branch of the United States Army United States Army Special Operations Comm ...

operators. At the same time, two platoons were created from the brigade to be the foundations for the new unit. These consisted of the ''G Platoon'' (Formation Unit) and the ''S Platoon'' (Research Unit). The establishment of the unit's framework had been completed in 2003, after 3 years of training and organisation. The unit's structure is based on that of

, SAS (

Special Air Service The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...

), KSK (

Kommando Spezialkräfte The Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) (, alternatively Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM)) is a unified combatant command and a large brigade-level unit of the German Army (Heer) designated to perform Covert operation, covert operations, ca ...

), and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n Special Forces units. Bilingual 1st Special Forces Group personnel were on hand to assist the JGSDF in creating their Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E). Takashi Araya once mentioned in an interview that he trained with Green Berets abroad for a year. On March 27, 2004, the Defense Agency activated the unit as the Special Operations Group with the mandate under the JGSDF as its counter-terrorist unit. In 2005, the SOG had deployed four of its operators to serve as bodyguards for the commander of the JGSDF's contingent in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

under the Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group. On March 28, 2007, the SOG, along with the 1st Airborne Brigade, the 1st Helicopter Brigade, and the 101st NBC Protection Unit, became part of the newly created Central Readiness Force. The unit changed its English name on March 26, 2008, from SOG to the SFGp. On page 14 of the January–March 2014 edition of「Special Warfare」, authorized official bimonthly publication by the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and

Fort Bragg Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...

, the

1st SOG(A) and the JGSDF SOG conduct a bilateral exercise "Silent Eagle," each fall at JBLM in

Washington State Washington, officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is often referred to as Washington State to distinguish it from the national capital, both named after George Washington ...

. In 2016, the SFGp was placed on standby during the 42nd G7 summit in case their assistance is required to back up the Special Assault Team and the Anti-Firearms Squad. On page 83 of the October–December 2017 edition of「Special Warfare」, authorized official bimonthly publication by the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and

, the strongest relationship and history between the

Green Beret 1st SOG(A) 1st Battalion stationed in

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

, and the SFGp, as well as the training conducted by the former USPACOM subordinated

CRF(Crisis Response Force) and JGSDF SFGp at Joint Combined Exchange Training(JCET) in Camp

Narashino is a Cities of Japan, city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 175,292 in 81,985 households and a population density of 8400 persons per km2. The total area of the city is Geography Narashino is loca ...

and

on various missions, including

direct action Direct action is a term for economic and political behavior in which participants use agency—for example economic or physical power—to achieve their goals. The aim of direct action is to either obstruct a certain practice (such as a governm ...

(DA), hostage rescue(HR), urban movement and mobility on rotary wing and vehicle platforms. On January 18, 2018, the SFGp conducted one of their few exercises before the presence of the Australian and Japanese prime ministers. At least one SFGp operator was an observer at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) 2018 exercises in Florida. King

Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II (Abdullah bin Hussein; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of the Hashemites, who have been the reigning royal family of Jordan since 1921, and is traditionally reg ...

visited Japan and was given a demonstration by SOG operators on November 27, 2018. On February 18, 2019, unnamed SFGp operators were deployed to attend Flintlock military exercises in Africa. On November 5, 2021, the SFGp has trained in Guam with the Green Berets. Exercises between the 1st Special Operations Group and the SOG are conducted yearly under the codename ''Silent Eagle''. On June 29, 2021, then Prime Minister

Yoshihide Suga is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), LDP) from 2020 to 2021. He had served as Chief Cabinet Secretary during the second administration ...

visited maneuvers performed by SOG operators. On August 23, 2021, more than a dozen personnel, along with 100 JGSDF personnel, were deployed in 「Evacuation of Japanese Nationals and Others from Afghanistan」 In August 2022, Joint

exercise「Exercise Dusk Samurai 2022」with the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...

2nd Commando Regiment at

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

Parramatta Parramatta (; ) is a suburb (Australia), suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney. Parramatta is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, on the banks of the Parramatta River. It is co ...

, was posted on the Australian

Department of Defence (Australia) The Department of Defence, also known simply as Defence, is a Government department, department of the Government of Australia, Australian Government that is responsible for administering the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and its related enti ...

official website. On October 6, 2022, Posted on the JGSDF official

website A website (also written as a web site) is any web page whose content is identified by a common domain name and is published on at least one web server. Websites are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose, such as news, educatio ...

Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

that the SFGp and the

Special Operations Command (Australia) The Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) is an Australian Defence Force command that was established on 5 May 2003 to unite all of the Australian Army's special forces units and by 2008 was fully operational. Australia's Special Operations Comman ...

conducted field training in

in August 2022. This is the first official announcement by the JGSDF regarding SOG's training and joint training between SFGp and special forces units of other countries, and was the sixth joint exercise with the Australian Army Special Forces since 2015. Volume 19, number 1, 2023 of 「Veritas, a publication published by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command History Office, contains a description of SFGp and details of joint exercise「Silent Eagle 2011」, a joint exercise between SFGp and the

1st SOG(A). On March 16, 2023, Posted on the JGSDF official

that the SFGp and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (

) conducted field training in United States in January to February 2023. On March 17, 2023, posted on the

1st Special Forces Group(A) official

and

that the SFGp and 1st SOG(A) with

United States Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States A ...

(USSOCOM) conducted joint training in February 2023. On April 25, 2023, SFGp operators were deployed to Sudan alongside CRR soldiers to help Japanese and foreign nationals leave the country due to fighting between RSF and Sudanese military units.

Formation

According to a 2017 Gendai Ismedia article, the SFGp is reported to compose of the following: * Commander (Led by a

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

) * Executive Officers (Led by a Lieutenant Colonel) * Headquarters ** 1st Department (General Affairs) ** 2nd Department (Intelligence) ** 3rd Department (Planning) ** 4th Department (Supply) * Headquarters Administration Unit (Led by 3

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

s) * 1st SOG Company ** Company Headquarters ** 1st Platoon (

HALO HALO, halo, halos or haloes may refer to: Most common meanings * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head * ''Halo'' (franchise), a sci-fi video game series (2001–2021) Arts and en ...

) *** Specialized squads (e.g. Assault,

Sniper A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...

) ** 2nd Platoon (

Naval warfare Naval warfare is combat in and on the sea, the ocean, or any other battlespace involving a major body of water such as a large lake or wide river. The Military, armed forces branch designated for naval warfare is a navy. Naval operations can be ...

) ** 3rd Platoon (

Mountain warfare Mountain warfare or alpine warfare is warfare in mountains or similarly rough terrain. The term encompasses military operations affected by the terrain, hazards, and factors of combat and movement through rough terrain, as well as the strategies ...

) ** 4th Platoon (

Urban warfare Urban warfare is warfare in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both Military operation, operational and the Military tactics, tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the p ...

) * 2nd SOG Company * 3rd SOG Company * Training Unit

Training

Potential recruits to the SFGp are drawn from Ranger-qualified JGSDF soldiers and paratroopers of the 1st Airborne Brigade. The unit's passing rate is said to be at 3% due to demanding physical fitness qualifications aside from a recruit's ranger or airborne qualifications. SFGp operators are required to study English in order to be bilingual, although they are trained to learn other languages like Arabic, Chinese and Russian. When the first soldiers were recruited, there was an effort for them to have foreign training due to a lack of experience. According to Takashi Araya, he had to train with the Green Berets in order to be familiarized with modern special forces concepts since those who are Ranger-trained and those who are in the SFGp are not different in terms of their training. Others were given training by various private military contractors when they have free time in either the US or in the UK with their own money. The SFGp does joint exercises with the

SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and Test score, scoring have changed several times. For much of its history, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test ...

Weapons

Like the Special Forces of other countries, not only those listed here, but also all kinds of domestic and foreign

small arms A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

and equipment that are neither distributed nor disclosed to the general public are selected from catalogs and test samples for government agencies that are not open to the public, and are rumored to be procured in secret and in abundance through the ample budget or secret funds of the

Japanese government The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary state, containing forty- ...

. It is said that the unit is also characterized as a special operations and weapons/equipment development experimental unit, and there is a possibility that the results of equipment development experiments are fed back to the general units as well. (e.g. type 20 new rifle)

Personal Clothing and Equipment

Due to the nature of their missions, the Special Operations Group is equipped with a variety of combat clothing and equipment. Depending on the mission, they wear camouflage uniform Type 3, combat uniform for urban areas, multicam camouflage, etc. Private items and equipment from the

U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. U.S. federal law names six armed forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard. Since 1949, all of the armed forces, except th ...

and other foreign militaries are also seen. * Camouflage Uniform Type 3 *Camouflage uniform Type 3 for urban areas *Combat uniform for urban areas :In addition to the camouflage uniforms deployed by regular units, unique equipment such as dark blue camouflage uniforms are also provided. According to Article 4, Paragraph 1 and Appendix 1 of the Detailed Regulations for Ground Self-Defense Force Personnel Dress (JGSDF Directive No. 24-8, February 28, 1968), combat uniforms are classified into general, aviation, airborne, armored, and urban wear, and urban combat uniforms may be worn "by SDF personnel in special operations groups (including those scheduled for deployment) when they are engaged in deployment, training, etc." In 2022, images released by the Australian Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defense's official social networking sites show Special Operations Group members wearing urban camouflage uniforms. (The image has since been removed from the official social networking sites.) * Multicam camouflage uniform :Worn according to the mission/operation. During the Japan-U.S. Joint

Military Exercise A military exercise, training exercise, maneuver (manoeuvre), or war game is the employment of military resources in Military education and training, training for military operations. Military exercises are conducted to explore the effects of ...

"Keen Sword 23," personnel can be seen wearing multicam camouflage uniforms. * Various Multicam Camouflage Equipment :In addition to the camouflage uniforms, the ADF has a variety of multicam camouflage equipment, and images released by the Australian Department of Defense show Special Operations Group members wearing multicam camouflage first line (belt kits). * Combat Shirts :In an image released by the Australian Department of Defense, Special Operations Group personnel are wearing combat shirts similar in design to the Type 3 camouflage uniform. *Type 18 Bulletproof Vest *Bulletproof Vest Type 3 (modified) * FAST helmet *Type 88 iron cap type 2 :It was confirmed at the Central Readiness Force Formation Completion Ceremony that the 1st Airborne Corps was equipped with a three-point chinstrap specification similar to the one used by the 1st Airborne Corps. * Fire retardant material eyeglass cap (balaglava) * Personal night vision device JGVS-V8 (monocular night vision device) * GPNVG-18 (four-lens night vision device) :Purchased with FMS (Foreign Military sales) 0 Images released by the Australian Department of Defense confirm that Special Operations Group personnel are equipped with this equipment. *

Personal Protective Equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elect ...

* Airtight protective clothing *Ballistic goggles :Gloves made of various flame-retardant materials, gloves made of heat-resistant and abrasion-resistant materials

Assault rifles

Special Forces groups tend to be more diverse in their use of foreign rifles than the Japanese-made Type 89 and Type 20 rifles used by conventional units. * Colt M4A1 SOPMOD Block I: :A statement by Tomoaki Iishiba, a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

indicted for exporting military-grade optical sights and other equipment to

without authorization from the

U.S. government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, executi ...

, revealed that the

has purchased and adopted the

M4 carbine The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensively used by the US mi ...

1 It was also confirmed that the

was purchased with FMS (Foreign Military Sales) in 2007 and 2008 062] along with the Silencer (firearms), QDSS-NT4 suppressor and M203A2 grenade launcher. * Heckler & Koch HK416 : It was procured as Special Rifle B and was confirmed to have been equipped by personnel aboard the

UH-60 Black Hawk The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift military utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted a design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) ...

, as seen in images from a training exercise in

in 2022. At that time, they were observed using optical sights, laser modules,

flashlight A flashlight (US English) or electric torch (Commonwealth English), usually shortened to torch, is a portable hand-held electric lamp. Formerly, the light source typically was a miniature incandescent light bulb, but these have been displaced ...

s, PMAG and H&KGEN3 magazines, etc. *

FN SCAR The FN SCAR (SOF (Special Operations Forces) Combat Assault Rifle) is a family of gas-operated short-stroke gas piston automatic rifles developed by Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal (FN) in 2004. It is constructed with modularity for the United ...

* HK G36 * HOWA Type 20 :The latest Type 20, which have advanced features such as telescopic gun beds and ambi structures and have greatly improved rust prevention, drainage performance and scalability, are preferentially deployed. * Type 89-F :The Type 89F, converted to a folding stock type suitable for close-range combat and urban combat, is deployed. The Type 89F is equipped by airborne troops, tank soldiers, reconnaissance soldiers, and armored infantry in addition to the special operations group.

Battle Rifles

Heckler & Koch HK417 The Heckler & Koch HK417 is a battle rifle designed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch. Being the larger caliber version of the Heckler & Koch HK416, and chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO rifle cartridge, it is intended for use where the penet ...

: Public Notice for Central Procurement" under the title of "Technical Assistance" in the information on the public call for applications of the Supply Control Headquarters. *

Sub-machine guns

Heckler & Koch MP5 The Heckler & Koch MP5 (, ) is a submachine gun developed in the 1960s by German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. It uses a similar modular design to the Heckler & Koch G3, and has over 100 variants and clones, including selective fire, Se ...

* Heckler & Koch MP7 *

SIG MPX The SIG MPX is a gas operation, gas-operated submachine gun designed and manufactured by SIG Sauer, and is primarily chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. It is a gas-operated firearm featuring a closed bolt, closed, rotating bolt, rotating bolt. Thes ...

Minebea PM-9 The Minebea PM-9 Submachine Gun, known officially in the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) as the or as the M9, is a Japanese-made submachine gun and machine pistol. Analogous to the Israeli Uzi#Military variants, IMI Mini-Uzi, it has the same ...

Machine guns

It is used to support troops, and depending on the mission, it can be mounted on a

tripod A tripod is a portable three-legged frame or stand, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The three-legged (triangular stance) design provides good stability against gravitational loads ...

bipod A bipod is a V-shaped portable attachment that helps support and steady a device, usually a weapon such as a long gun or a mortar. The term comes from the Latin prefix and Greek root , meaning "two" and "foot" respectively. Bipods are design ...

, vehicle such as a Komatsu light armored vehicle,

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...

such as CH-47JA and UH-60JA, or

aircraft An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...

and fired. *

FN MINIMI The FN Minimi (short for ; "mini machine gun") is a Belgian 5.56mm or 7.62mm light machine gun, also classified as a squad automatic weapon developed by Ernest Vervier for FN Herstal. Introduced in the late 1970s, it is in service in more than ...

:A Type 62

can be mounted, and a night vision device for close range aiming, or "direct aiming glasses" may be mounted for long range shooting. *

M2 Browning The M2 machine gun or Browning .50-caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed near the end of World War I by John Browning. While similar to Browning's M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered ...

:In addition to operation with a tripod mounted, it is installed on a special mount for position defense and use as an anti-aircraft firearm. Also mounted on vehicles, helicopters and aircraft. *

M134 Minigun The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features a Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly with an external power source, normally an electric ...

:It is mounted on UH-60JA and CH-47JA for operation.

Sniper rifles

* Remington M24 * Barrett M99 * Barrett M88 *

SAKO TRG The Sako TRG (short for Finnish: "", " Precision Rifle G-series") is a bolt-action sniper rifle line designed and manufactured by Finnish firearms manufacturer SAKO of Riihimäki. It is the successor to the SAKO TR-6 target rifle, and thus the l ...

:Used with the M24A2 in joint training with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command during the "FY2022 FOIP (Free and Open Indo-Pacific Intervention Program)" held from January to February 2023. * Remington MSR

Shotguns

Remington Model 870 The Remington Model 870 is a Pump action shotgun, pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms, Remington Arms Company, LLC. It is widely used by the public for shooting sports, hunting and self-defense, as well as by law enforcement and mi ...

(Wilson Combat-based)

Pistols

Pistol A pistol is a type of handgun, characterised by a gun barrel, barrel with an integral chamber (firearms), chamber. The word "pistol" derives from the Middle French ''pistolet'' (), meaning a small gun or knife, and first appeared in the Englis ...

s are highly concealable and, like Sub-machine guns, are highly portable and can be easily maneuvered indoors or in other confined spaces. They are also used for assassination and sabotage operations with suppressors and other equipment when the user's identity is concealed, such as when working as an agent and cannot be equipped with

rifle A rifle is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a gun barrel, barrel that has a helical or spiralling pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus o ...

s or other

weapon A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...

s. * H&K USP :In addition to the main body, a

suppressor A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a gun barrel#Muzzle, muzzle device that suppresses the muzzle blast, blast created when a gun (firearm or airgun) is discharged, thereby reducing the sound inten ...

and

optical sight A sight or sighting device is any device used to assist in precise visual alignment (i.e. ''aiming'') of weapons, surveying instruments, aircraft equipment, optical illumination equipment or larger optical instruments with the intended target. ...

are deployed 8(Reportedly a Tactical version as they're used with suppressors) * Minebea P9 :Carried in a leg

holster A handgun holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a handgun, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use. Holsters are often attached to a belt or waistband, but they may be atta ...

(Safariland 6004) when appearing before the press at the Central Readiness Force formation completion ceremony on March 31, 2007. *

SIG SAUER P226 The SIG Sauer P226 is a full-sized service pistol made by SIG Sauer. This model is available in four chamberings: the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, or .22 Long Rifle. It has the same mechanism of operation as the SIG Sauer P220, but ...

* H&K SFP9 *Large caliber pistol (model unknown) *Small pistol for concealed carry (model unknown)

Attachment

Personal equipment and equipment purchased with FMS (Foreign Military Sales) can be seen. * M203 grenade launcher * Silencer (firearms), QDSS-NT4 suppressor

Missiles・Rocket launcher

Type 91 surface-to-air missile The is a Japanese man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS). Its appearance is similar to the US-made FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missile. It was created in order to replace its stock of American-made Stinger MANPADS, since the Type 91 has a b ...

Type 01 LMAT The is a Japanese man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile. Development began in 1993 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries and was accepted into service in 2001. During development, the missile was designated with the codename XATM-5. Later it was ...

* Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle * Panzerfaust 3

Grenades and mines

* HOWA Type 96 automatic grenade launcher * Various grenades *

Smoke grenade A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone marking device, or as a screening device for unit movements. Smoke grenades are generally more complex and emit a far larger amount of smoke than sm ...

s *

Stun grenade A stun grenade, also known as a flash grenade, flashbang, thunderflash, or sound bomb, is a Non-lethal weapon, non-lethal explosive device used to temporarily disorient an enemy's senses. Upon detonation, a stun grenade produces Flash blindness, ...

s :Procurement of Type 1 flash-pitched sounding canisters and multi-stage flash-pitched sounding canisters has been confirmed. *Type 92 anti-tank mines

Other Equipment.

In addition to conventional combat, the Special Operations Group conducts special warfare such as Counterterrorism operations and

mountain warfare Mountain warfare or alpine warfare is warfare in mountains or similarly rough terrain. The term encompasses military operations affected by the terrain, hazards, and factors of combat and movement through rough terrain, as well as the strategies ...

, and is therefore equipped with a number of special personal effects tailored to its missions. * Type 53 21.5mm Flare Gun * special Security baton :The procurement of baton holsters has been confirmed. The Central Readiness Regiment, the Maritime Self-Defense Force Entry Inspection Unit, and the

Police Force The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citizen ...

are also equipped with special baton holsters. *

Handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...

* Chemical light * Individual First Aid Kit :IFAK (Individual First Aid Kid), etc. In general, due to the nature of their missions, special forces units are equipped with more advanced and sophisticated first aid equipment than the general forces. *

Multi-tool A multi-tool (or multitool) is a hand tool that combines several individual functions in a single unit. The smallest are credit-card or key sized units designed for carrying in a wallet or on a keyring, but others are designed to be carried ...

, survival knife * Lensatic compass * Tactical light (flashlight) *

Binoculars Binoculars or field glasses are two refracting telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held ...

, etc. *Various sensors, drones, and other reconnaissance and information gathering equipment *Various field communications equipment (satellite communications equipment, etc.) *GPS navigation equipment (

Garmin Garmin Ltd. is an American multinational technology company based in Olathe, Kansas. The company designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes GPS-enabled products and other navigation, communication, sensor-based, and information ...

, etc.) *Portable explosive detection equipment 2 *Chemical agent detectors *CR detectors *Unit dosimeters *Dosimeter type 3 *Company Dose Rate Meter Type 3 *Portable Dosimeter Set *Portable Weather Meter *Rebreather (CCR)

Vehicles

* High Mobility Vehicle *All combat units of the JGSDF possess these vehicles. * Komatsu light armored vehicle 8* Type 73 heavy-duty truck * Type 73 medium truck :A published photo of the unit's building reveals that it possesses a Type 73 Medium Truck and a Type 73 Heavy Truck 9 * Reconnaissance motorcycles :The reconnaissance motorcycle is capable of airborne drop and airborne transport using a high-altitude air-drop system (CADS). U.S. Special Forces are also equipped with these vehicles. *Bulletproof raid support vehicle :Special Forces of various countries have this vehicle. Japanese police special forces also have them. * Light snow vehicle (snowmobile) * Type 10 snowmobile * Combat Rubber Raiding Craft(CRRC) :The Amphibious Task Force, 1st Airborne Brigade, and Special Operations Group possess these vehicles. The Maritime Self-Defense Force has adopted 11-meter class RHIBs under the name of Special Boat (SB), which are equipped by the Special Security Forces. General units are equipped with rubber boats for reconnaissance. *Various SUVs :Bulletproof and equipped with an armory. Mimicking civilian vehicles. *Personal vehicles of members of the unit :Individual troopers' vehicles may also be modified to be equipped with robust weapons magazines to prevent seizure, and may be loaded with weapons and equipment for action.

Equipment

The SFGp has access to equipment used by the JGSDF, such as the Komatsu LAVs and Toyota Koukidoushas for transport and reconnaissance use. They also work in conjunction with the 1st Helicopter Brigade to provide mobility support, though they can be also deployed via

C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...

aircraft. SFGp operators are known to wear camo uniforms when operating in urbanized areas.

Unit features

As part of regulating and protecting the identities of the various soldiers serving in the unit, their faces are hidden in balaclavas and cannot be revealed except with authorization from their commanding officers. SFGp officers are exempted from the rule.

References

;Miscellaneous notes # Companies of the Japanese Special Forces Group are under the command of a

. # Company HQ and the platoons under it are also found within the 2nd and 3rd SOG companies. # Commanded by a

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

Bibliography

External links

Official SFGp CRF Page.
{{JGSDF Units, state=collapsed Military counterterrorist organizations Special forces of Japan Military units and formations established in 2004 Japan in the Iraq War