The Central Readiness Force was established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. It was initially based at Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo. The command supervises a number of different units, whose roles range from special forces operations to advance preparation for greater JSDF deployments. The unit can also be deployed as Japan's response to combat operations during peacekeeping missions as a rapid reaction force. On 26 March 2013, the force was officially transferred to Camp Zama, in Sagamihara, in the Kanagawa Prefecture. As a part of the Japanese government's National Defense Program Guidelines which were developed in response to the need to improve the JGSDF's capabilities to deal with new defense issues such as foreign peacekeeping operations and anti-terrorist operations. The CRF held a formal ceremony at Camp Askaka on March 31, 2007, during which Japanese Defense MinisterFumio Kyuma, who was the guest of honour, formally inaugurated the force. Lieutenant GeneralJosho Yamaguchi was the CRF's first commanding officer. The last commander of the CRF is Lt. Gen. Shigeru Kobayashi, who was appointed on July 1, 2016.
History
Formed on March 28, 2007, the CRF was established, consolidating the 1st Airborne Brigade, the 1st Helicopter Brigade, the Japanese Special Forces Group and the 101st NBC Protection Unit into a single force capable of conduct operations both in Japan and in foreign countries. On March 31, 2007, the Central Readiness Force held a formal inauguration ceremony at JGSDF Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, which included guests such as Fumio Kyuma and Josho Yamaguchi, the former presiding over the formal establishment of the CRF. The CRF was deployed on its first civil disaster mission on April 29, 2007, when it was dispatched to quell wildfires in the forests of the Yamanashi Prefecture, with the 1st Helicopter Brigade being deployed after its integration to the force. The CRF later conducted a military exercise on October 31, 2007, with its subordinate units participating in a wide range of scenarios from anti-NBC cleanup to personnel transportation and evacuation. Six officers from the CRF were deployed to Nepal as part of the United Nations Mission in Nepal on March 30, 2007 as part of their first CRF peacekeeping mission.] A CRF officer deployed to Nepal as part of the UNMIN was decorated for completing his duties in monitoring the ceasefire between the Nepalese government and Maoist rebels. The officers returned to Japan on March 18, 2008. Four CRF officers under the UNDOF's transport unit were deployed to France as Japanese representatives on July 14, 2008, for its annual Bastille Day Military Parade celebration. The CRF was deployed to assist in the aftermath of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in humanitarian relief efforts, as well as to combat radiation problems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The CRF has been deployed in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. Asahi Shimbun wrote in January 2015 of plans to reinforce the JSDF base in Djibouti, Africa including mobilizing light armored vehicles to rescue Japanese citizens by land routes. The CRF was disbanded on 26 March 2018 and units previously under CRF, with the exception of Special Forces Group, were restructured and integrated into the newly formed Ground Component Command on 27 March 2018.
Command Group
Structure
The structure of the CRF has been created with the following established for its headquarters:
* Central Readiness Regiment – Camp Utsunomiya, Utsunomiya, Tochigi – the Central Readiness Regiment has the ability to form advance missions to conduct preparations for main JSDF missions
