The is one of eight active

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. B ...

s of the

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...

. The brigade is subordinated to the Eastern Army and is headquartered in

Shintō Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintoist ...

Gunma is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 km2 (2,456 sq mi). Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima P ...

. Its responsibility is the defense of

Nagano Nagano may refer to: Places * Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan ** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture *** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics *** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano *** Nagano Universi ...

, Niigata and Tochigi prefectures. The brigade was formed on 13 March 2001 with units from the disbanded 12th Infantry Division.

Organization

* 12th Brigade, in

** 12th Brigade HQ, in Shintō ** 2nd Infantry Regiment ^{''note 1''}, in Jōetsu ** 13th Infantry Regiment, in

Matsumoto Matsumoto (松本 or 松元, "base of the pine tree") may refer to: Places * Matsumoto, Nagano (松本市), a city ** Matsumoto Airport, an airport southwest of Matsumoto, Nagano * Matsumoto, Kagoshima (松元町), a former town now part of the c ...

** 30th Infantry Regiment, in Shibata ** 12th Artillery Battalion, in

Utsunomiya is the prefectural capital city of Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 519,223, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Utsunomiya is famous for its '' gyoza' ...

, with four batteries of FH-70 155mm towed howitzers ** 12th Reconnaissance Company, in Shintō, with Type 87 armored reconnaissance vehicle ** 12th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery, in Shintō, with Type 81 and Type 93 Surface-to-air missile systems ** 12th Combat Engineer Company, in

Takasaki is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...

** 12th Signal Company, in Shintō ** 12th Aviation Squadron, in Shintō, flying UH-60JA and CH-47J/JA helicopters ** 12th NBC-defense Company, in Shintō ** 12th Logistic Support Battalion, in Takasaki ''note 1'': Infantry Regiments have only battalion strength.

External links

Homepage 12th Brigade
''(Japanese)'' {{JGSDF Units Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Brigade Military units and formations established in 2001