Japan Self Defense Forces

The SDF was created after the end of the Allied occupation of Japan as a defense force for the Japanese islands. Unlike other militaries, the SDF is legally barred from initiating combat, as the constitution of Japan specifically prohibits waging war: however, they may fire if fired upon. By calling its armed forces "defense forces," the government was able to get around this stipulation and build a new Japanese military. If you've ever seen a Godzilla movie, then you've seen the SDF at the height of its action: since its inception, the SDF has only engaged an enemy once, in an accidental skirmish with a North Korean gunboat.

The SDF uses similar weapons to the United States Armed Forces, several of which are American designs manufactured in Japan under license.

A rundown of the three main branches:

GROUND SDF

• CH-47 Chinook (produced under license)
• UH-1 Huey (import)
• AH-1 Cobra (import)
• Type 88 Missile Launcher
• FH70 Howitzer
• Type 74 Main Battle Tank
• Type 90 Tank
• Type 93 SAM
• Type 89 Fighting Vehicle
• Type 89 Automatic Rifle (5.56 x 45 NATO)

I Division, Ichigaya; II Division, Asahikawa; III Division, Itami; IV Division, Fukuoka; V Division, Obihiro; VI Division, Sendai; VII Division, Chitose; VIII Division, Kumamoto; IX Division, Aomori; X Division, Moriyama; XI Divison, Sapporo
XII Brigade, Somabara; XIII Brigade, Kaita
1st Mixed Group, Naha; 2nd Mixed Group, Zentsuji

MARITIME SDF

• Destroyers: Takanami, Murasame, Yamagumo, Hatsuyuki, Haruna, Shirane, Asagiri, Takatsuki, Tachikaze, Hatakaze, Amatsukaze and Kongo class
• Submarines: Oyashio, Yushio, and Harushio class
• Minesweepers: Hatsushima, Yaeyama, Uraga, Hayase, Niijima, Fukue, and Uwajima class
• UH-60J Black Hawk and SH-60J Seahawk (under license)
• P-3 Orion (under license)
• NAMC YS-11

Fleet headquarters: Yokosuka
Other main bases: Kure, Sasebo, Maizuru and Ominato

AIR SDF

• F-15 Eagle (under license)
• F-4 Phantom II (under license)
• F-16 Fighting Falcon (under license as the Mitsubishi F-2, also known as the Mitsubishi FSX)
• Jaguar (under license as the Mitsubishi F-1)
• E-2 Hawkeye (import)
• Kawasaki C-1
• C-130 Hercules (import)
• UH-60 Black Hawk (under license)
• Boeing 747 (import)
• E-767 AWACS (import)

Air bases: Chitose, Misawa, Matsushima, Hyakuri, Komatsu, Iruma, Shizuhama, Hamamatsu, Komaki, Gifu, Miho, Hofu, Ashiya, Kasuga, New Tabaru, Tsuiki, and Naha