Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force; JMSDF
Official name for Japan's naval defense branch. Often abbreviated as 海自 (かいじ).
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is responsible for protecting Japan's territorial waters.
He served on a JMSDF destroyer.
After graduating high school, he joined the JMSDF.
The government dispatched the JMSDF for the rescue operation.
海上自衛隊 is the naval branch (JMSDF), while 航空自衛隊 is the air force branch (JASDF); the similar naming pattern makes the three branches easy to confuse.
Maritime Self-Defense Force military police brigade