page_title: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
section_title: Organization, formations and structure
hierarchical_section_title: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force / Organization, formations and structure
caption_attribution_description: JMADF SH-60J in Okadama STA.
context_page_description: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II. The JMSDF has a fleet of 154 ships and 346 aircraft and consists of approximately 45,800 personnel. Its main tasks are to maintain control of the nation's sea lanes and to patrol territorial waters. It also participates in UN-led peacekeeping operations and Maritime Interdiction Operations.
  Since 2000, the JMSDF has been the world's fourth largest navy by total tonnage.
context_section_description: The JMSDF is commanded by the Chief of the Maritime Staff. Its structure consists of the Maritime Staff Office, the Self Defense Fleet, five regional district commands, the air-training squadron and various support units, such as hospitals and schools. The Maritime Staff Office, located in Tokyo, serves the Chief of Staff in commanding and supervising the force.
  The Self-Defense Fleet, headquartered at Yokosuka, consists of the JMSDF's military shipping. It is composed of Fleet Escort Force (based in Yokosuka, Sasebo, Maizuru and Kure), the Fleet Air Force headquartered at Atsugi, Fleet Submarine Force based at Yokosuka and Kure, Mine Warfare Force based at Yokosuka and the Fleet Training Command at Yokosuka.
  On 6 March 2018, Ryoko Azuma became the first female squadron commander in the JMSDF. Her unit includes the flagship Izumo, the largest warship in the JMSDF. She commands four warships making up a division with a total of 1,000 crew members.
  Each Escort Flotilla is formed as an 8–8 fleet of eight destroyers and eight on-board helicopters, a modification of the old Japanese navy fleet layout of eight battleships and eight cruisers. Each force is composed of one helicopter destroyer (DDH) acting as a command ship, two guided-missile destroyers (DDG) and five standard or ASW destroyers (DD). The JMSDF is planning to reorganize the respective Escort Flotillas into a DDH group and DDG group, enabling faster overseas deployments.
  Prime Minister of Japan
  Minister of Defense
  JMSDF Chief of Staff / Maritime Staff Office
  Self Defense Fleet
  Fleet Escort Force
  Escort Flotilla 1 (Yokosuka)
  Escort Squadron 1: DDH-183 Izumo; DDG-179 Maya; DD-101 Murasame; DD-107 Ikazuchi (Yokosuka)
  Escort Squadron 5: DDG-173 Kongō; DD-108 Akebono; DD-109 Ariake; DD-115 Akizuki (Sasebo)
  Escort Flotilla 2 (Sasebo)
  Escort Squadron 2: DDH-182 Ise; DDG-178 Ashigara; DD-102 Harusame; DD-119 Asahi (Sasebo)
  Escort Squadron 6: DDG-174 Kirishima; DD-110 Takanami; DD-111 Onami; DD-116 Teruzuki (Yokosuka)
  Escort Flotilla 3 (Maizuru)
  Escort Squadron 3: DDH-181 Hyūga; DDG-175 Myōkō; DDG-177 Atago; DD-118 Fuyuzuki (Maizuru)
  Escort Squadron 7: DD-103 Yudachi; DD-112 Makinami; DD-114 Suzunami; DD-156 Setogiri (replacement in 2020 by DD-120 Shiranui) (Ominato)
  Escort Flotilla 4 (Kure)
  Escort Squadron 4: DDH-184 Kaga; DD-105 Inazuma; DD-106 Samidare; DD-113 Sazanami (Kure)
  Escort Squadron 8: DDG-172 Shimakaze; DDG-176 Chōkai; DD-104 Kirisame; DD-117 Suzutsuki (Sasebo)
  Naval District Forces:
  11th Escort Squadron: DD-152 Yamagiri; DD-153 Yūgiri; DD-154 Amagiri (Yokosuka)
  12th Escort Squadron: DD-158 Umigiri; DE-229 Abukuma; DE-234 Tone (Kure)
  13th Escort Squadron: DD-157 Sawagiri; DE-230 Jintsū; DD-132 Asayuki (Sasebo)
  14th Escort Squadron: DD-151 Asagiri; DE-232 Sendai; DD-130 Matsuyuki (Maizuru)
  15th Escort Squadron: DD-155 Hamagiri; DE-231 Ōyodo; DE-233 Chikuma (Ominato)
  1st Replenishment-at-Sea Squadron (Yokosuka): AOE-422 Towada (Kure); AOE-423 Tokiwa (Yokosuka); AOE-424 Hamana (Sasebo); AOE-425 Mashu (Mashu-class) (Maizuru); AOE-426 Omi (Mashu-class) (Sasebo)
  1st Training Squadron: ATS-4202 Kurobe; ATS-4203 Tenryu; TV-3517 Shirayuki; TV-3519 Yamayuki; TV-3518 Setoyuki; TV-3513 Shimayuki (Kure)
  Fleet Training Command (Yokosuka)
  Fleet Air Force
  Fleet Air Wing 1 (P-3C UH-60J)
  Fleet Air Wing 2 (P-3C UH-60J)
  Fleet Air Wing 4 (P-3C UH-60J)
  Fleet Air Wing 5 (P-3C UH-60J)
  Fleet Air Wing 21 (SH-60J/K)
  Fleet Air Wing 22 (SH-60J)
  Fleet Air Wing 31 (US-1A US-2 EP-3 OP-3C UP-3D LC-90 U-36A)
  Fleet Squadron 51 (P-1, P-3C UP-3C/D OP-3 SH-60J/K OH-6DA)
  Fleet Squadron 61 (C-130R LC-90)
  Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 (MCH-101)
  Fleet Submarine Force (Yokosuka)
  Submarine Flotilla 1 (Kure)
  Flotilla HQ: ASR-403 Chihaya
  Submarine Squadron 1: SS-507 Jinryū; SS-593 Makishio; SS-594 Isoshio
  Submarine Squadron 3: SS-504 Kenryū; SS-596 Kuroshio; SS-600 Mochishio
  Submarine Squadron 5: SS-501 Sōryū; SS-502 Unryū; SS-503 Hakuryū; SS-508 Sekiryū
  Kure Submarine Base Support Squadron
  Submarine Flotilla 2 (Yokosuka)
  Flotilla HQ: ASR-404 Chiyoda
  Submarine Squadron 2: SS-592 Uzushio; S
caption: SH-60J in Okadama Air Base
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