Japanese Strategic Self Defense Force

The Japanese Strategic Self Defense Force (JSSDF) is a military organization, the main branch of the Japanese military under the direct command of the Japanese Ministry of Defense. It has a background role in the Evangelion TV series, serving in a military support role for Nerv. The JSSDF serves as a primary antagonist in The End of Evangelion.

The JSSDF was formed in 2003 in response to the outbreak of war between China and Vietnam over the Nansha Islands as a result of post-Second Impact tensions, which prompted the reorganization of Japan's military. As a result of this new political climate, Article 9 of the Japanese constitution (which forbid Japan from maintaining an offensive military force after World War II) was apparently abolished.

The JSSDF functions in coordination with United Nations forces in providing support for Nerv and the Evangelions when they attempt to repel Angel attacks. United Nations forces in 2015 are often heavily composed of the armed forces of local militaries, which have all been united under the aegis of the UN. Thus frequently when "United Nations" forces are supporting Nerv in combating the Angels, they are in fact heavily composed of JSSDF units, commanded by their own generals, but backed by the authority of the UN.

Organization

The "JSSDF" is composed of both land and air units, and presumably naval forces. There are sub-branches of the Strategic Self Defense Force which focus on each military subdivision, for example the "Japanese Air Self Defense Force" (JASDF) is the sub-branch of the JSSDF which is composed entirely of air units (though the JSSDF proper does field its own VTOL airships, etc.)