Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces of World War II originated with the Special Naval Landing Forces, and eventually consisted of the following:

• Special Naval Landing Force or Rikusentai or kaigun rikusentai or Tokubetsu Rikusentai: the Japanese Marines
• The Base Force or Tokubetsu Konkyochitai provided services, primarily security, to naval facilities
• Defence units or Bobitai or Boei-han: detachments of 200 to 400 men.
• Guard forces or Keibitai: detachments of 200–500 men who provide security to Imperial Japanese Navy facilities
• Pioneers or Setsueitai built naval facilities, including airstrips, on remote islands.
• Naval Civil Engineering and Construction Units, or Kaigun Kenchiku Shisetsu Butai
• The Naval Communications Units or Tsushintai of 600–1,000 men to provide basic naval communications and also handled encryption and decryption.
• The Tokeitai Navy military police units were part of the naval intelligence armed branch, with military police regular functions in naval installations and occupied territories; they also worked with the Imperial Japanese Army's Kempeitai military police, the Keishicho civil police and Tokko secret units in security and intelligence services.

Although both the keibitai and bobitai received amphibious assault and beach defence training, their performance was poor or average when they were used as assault troops.