The , or
JMSDF, is the
naval branch of the
Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after World War II. The JMSDF has a fleet of 154 ships and 346 aircraft. Its main tasks are to maintain control of the nation's sea lanes and to patrol territorial waters. It also participates in UN-led
peacekeeping operations (PKOs) and Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOs).