Report on Japanese Military Power 2012 (8)

IV. Military Deployment

The changes in JSDF military deployment in 2012 are based on the 2010 NDPG, highlighting the shift of center of gravity to the Southwest instead of a balanced posture. The specific measures in this regard are as follows:

The JGSDF will continue with its efforts to reorganize and reinforce the 15th Brigade based in Okinawa by 2015, and to deploy a coastal surveillance unit or border security unit on the Miyako Island and Yonaguni Island. It is worth noting that in 2012 the plan to deploy coastal surveillance units was impeded, forcing the Ministry of Defense to postpone the plan beyond 2013 in March, 2012.

According to the 2010 NDPG, by 2015, the JMSDF will increase the number of submarine fleet from four to six, and the total number of submarines from 16 to 22, and reorganize the five local fleets based at five marine garrisons into four local fleets with four vessels for each fleet. At the same time, it will also develop new types of destroyers, submarines and anti-submarine patrol aircraft to enhance anti-submarine and anti-ship capabilities. These measures are intended mainly to reinforce military deployment for the defense of the Southwest.
According to the 2010 NDPG, the JASDF plans to reorganize the aircraft control and warning units which were composed of an eight-unit warning group and a 20-unit warning corps into a four-unit warning group and a 24-unit warning corps, in order to enhance air defense command; and at the same time, the JASDF intends to increase the number of flight squadrons at Naha Air Base from one to two for rapid response in the Southwestern region. In order to improve intelligence collection, warning, and surveillance in the Southwestern region, the JASDF also plans to field warning radars to maintain a seamless warning and surveillance posture. The JASDF plans to deploy in a balanced way PAC-3 missiles to all six surface-to-air guided missile groups across the country in addition to modifying and deploying one set of PAC-3 missile system to improve missile-defense capabilities in the Southwestern direction. In 2012 the JASDF also procured a set of short-range surface-to-air missile system, two sets of surface-to-air missile systems for base air defense, and was equipped with medium-range surface-to-air missile squadrons, in order to improve air defense.

To sum up, all the military deployment and measures mentioned above point to three purposes: first, to improve capabilities in intelligence collection and warning and surveillance; second, to improve rapid-response capabilities; third, to improve mobility. All the measures are in line with those taken in the previous year, yet they are relatively more conspicuous in that they focus on strengthening defense of the “Southwestern islands” which are far away from the Japanese homeland and therefore are relatively weak in defense. These measures are also military preparation for both possible future conflicts over the Diaoyu Islands and intervention in conflicts across the Taiwan Straits. At the same time, they are obstacles for the PLA Navy to go beyond the first island chain for the deep blue sea.

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