The Special Boarding Unit is a special forces unit established by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on March 27, 2001 in response to a previous spy ship incursion that occurred on the Noto Peninsula in 1999. The unit was created to perform similar roles to those undertaken by American Navy SEALs and the British SBS. Its structure is based on that of the SBS. They are based in Etajima, Hiroshima. Their roles involve maritime anti-terrorist duties, including operations where arms are known to be involved. However, their duties and responsibilities overlap with those of the Special Security Team, the Japan Coast Guard's counter-terrorist unit. Since the SBU is a special forces unit, any kind of matters regarding acquisition of information on personnel, training and weapons are forbidden since they are highly classified. Its operators are seen publicly wearing balaclavas to protect their identities.
History
After a failed Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces mission to stop North Korean spy ships that were in Japanese territorial waters off the Noto Peninsula, the SBU was established with its headquarters in Etajima, Hiroshima. The unit had conducted some covert training in Etajima without any public knowledge after its creation, including exercises on boarding tactics to enter ships. Training was completed in 2000, a year after the SBU was created. A reported ship that illegally entered Amami Ōshima was seen nearby, which led to the mobilization of the SBU. The ship, however, was said to have been scuttled while the unit waited for orders from the Japanese Defense Agency. The unit had made its existence known to the public in 2007 during a training exercise, which involved the deployment of Howa Type 89–armed SBU operators via RHIBs and SH-60J helicopters. When the unit was created, it had requested training with the US Navy SEALs, but had not been able to do so due to schedule problems. To resolve this, the SBU had requested training assistance from the SBS to help in founding the unit. However, it trained later with the SEALs. Due to the nature of their duties and responsibilities, an amendment had been passed to raise their salaries. It was announced recently by Yasukazu Hamada that the SBU will possibly be deployed for its first mission to Somalia to engage in anti-piracy operations. SBU operators had left Japan on March 14, 2009 deployed on board the Murasame-class destroyer JDS DD-106 Samidare and the Takanami-class destroyer JDS DD-113 Sazanami. Prior to the SBU's overseas deployment to Somalia, the unit had practiced alongside Japan Coast Guard units in simulating a raid on a pirate vessel played by JCG officers without any warning shots fired by SBU operators off the coast of Kure, Hiroshima with a total of 250 people participating, 60 from the JCG. It was suggested that the SBU could have participated in military operations in Iraq alongside the US military's naval special forces in case of a hostage rescue mission involving Japanese nationals. The SBU was deployed in 2016 at the 42nd G7 summit, providing security alongside the Special Assault Team.
Controversy
Controversy had developed from the SBU when a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces cadet had died during a supposed training exercise prior to admission to the unit, which had consisted of 15 levels of unarmed combat training. The JMSDF has refused to provide more details on the incident, calling them classified material. However, a special committee was established to determine whether the cadet's death was either under murder or an accident. Investigators of the Criminal Investigation Command had assessed the incident. Reports on the incident have classified the events as a case of bullying by senior JMSDF sailors against junior sailors. But the committee had suggested that the deceased cadet was killed accidentally after receiving a right hook punch by his 14th opponent during the exercise, specifically to the chin.
Foreign relations
The SBU has been involved in matters involving Asia-Pacific defense, with representatives sent to the Asia Pacific Defense Forum Summer 2002 and the Asia Pacific Defense Forum 2004.
Formation
As of 2014, the SBU has ten platoons with one main headquarters.
SBU candidates are schooled at the Naval Academy Etajima for around 36 weeks including the Special Security Program, which is taken for a year and 3 months before one is recruited to the unit. Basic education is done at the school while the rest is done with the unit prior to recruitment.
