The , or
JSDF, occasionally referred to as
JSF,
JDF, or
SDF, are the unified
military forces of
Japan that were established in 1954. In recent years they have been engaged in international
peacekeeping operations. Recent tensions, particularly with
North Korea, have reignited the debate over the status of the JSDF and its relation to Japanese society. New military guidelines, announced in December 2010, will direct the
Jieitai away from its
Cold War focus on the former
Soviet Union to a focus on
China, especially regarding the dispute over the
Senkaku Islands.