THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
October 17, 2025 at 16:48 JST
Members of the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Special Operations Group conduct a joint exercise with Australian special forces. (Provided by the Ground Self-Defense Force)
The Defense Ministry said it will create an elite unit within the Ground Self-Defense Force to respond swiftly to emergencies, such as evacuating Japanese nationals from conflict zones.
Set to be formed in fiscal 2026, the unit will merge two existing forces: the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Central Readiness Regiment (CRR).
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative, noting that Japan has an extensive coastline and numerous remote islands.
“These geographical vulnerabilities demand a robust response to unconventional threats, including guerrilla and special forces operations,” he said.
The special force will total approximately 1,200 personnel, combining the 400-member SOG and the 800-member CRR.
It will be led by a major general and headquartered at Camp Narashino in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, where the SOG is based.
The SOG was formed in 2004 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Modeled after the U.S. Green Berets and similar crack units, it specializes in counterterrorism, guerrilla warfare and overseas rescue operations.
It is considered Japan’s most secretive military unit, with most members keeping their affiliation confidential.
The group would likely be the first deployed to recapture occupied territories, for example the disputed Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture.
The CRR serves as Japan’s rapid deployment force for overseas missions and domestic emergencies, including potential incursions into the Tokyo metropolitan area.
In recent years, the CRR has played a growing role in protecting and evacuating Japanese people caught up in volatile situations, notably in the Middle East.
The integration of the two forces reflects the increasing complexity and danger of missions both at home and abroad, said a GSDF official, adding that such situations require “specialized and advanced capabilities to respond to simultaneous and multifaceted threats.”
While specific operational changes remain classified, sources within the ministry suggest that the consolidation is driven by overlapping responsibilities in overseas evacuation missions.
The two units have already completed joint training exercises, where SOG veterans provided instruction to CRR personnel on combat readiness for conflict zones.
The Defense Ministry wants to be fully prepared for a crisis in the Taiwan Strait.
Officials estimate that up to 20,000 Japanese nationals would need to be evacuated if China decided to invade Taiwan.
In this scenario, the new unit could be tasked with organizing evacuations through third countries.
(This article was written by Mizuki Sato and Daisuke Yajima.)
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
