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. Br ...

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 Northern Army and is headquartered in

Obihiro is a city in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Obihiro is the only designated city in the Tokachi area. As of February 29, 2020, the city has an estimated population of 165,851. The next most populous municipality in Tokachi is the adj ...

Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

. Its responsibility is the defense of North Eastern Hokkaidō. The brigade was formed on 29 March 2004 with units from the disbanded 5th Infantry Division.

Organization

* 5th Brigade, in

** 5th Brigade HQ, in Obihiro ** 5th Tank Battalion, in Shikaoi, with three Squadrons of Type 90

Main Battle Tanks A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...

** 4th Infantry Regiment ^{''note 1''}, in Obihiro ** 6th Infantry Regiment, in

Bihoro is a town located in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The name is derived from the Ainu word ''piporo'', meaning "place of much water". Largely agricultural, the town is best known for the Bihoro Pass, which has views over Lake Kuss ...

** 27th Infantry Regiment, in

Kushiro is a city in Kushiro Subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. It serves as the subprefecture's capital and it is the most populated city in the eastern part of the island. Geography Mountains * Mount Oakan * Mount Meakan * Mount Akan ...

** 5th Artillery Battalion, in Obihiro, with three batteries of Type 99 155mm

Self-propelled howitzers Self-propelled may refer to * Human-powered transport, humans moving themselves (and their cargo) via their own muscle energy * Machines that power their own movement: ** Automobile (from ''auto-'' + ''mobile'', "self-moving") ** Locomotive (f ...

** 5th Reconnaissance Company, in

Betsukai is a town located in Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the S ...

, with Type 87 Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle ** 5th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Company, in Obihiro, with Type 81 and Type 93

Surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...

systems ** 5th Combat Engineer Company, in Obihiro ** 5th Signal Company, in Obihiro ** 5th Aviation Squadron, in Obihiro, flying UH-1J and OH-6D helicopters ** 5th NBC Defense Company, in Obihiro ** 5th Logistic Support Battalion, in Obihiro ''note 1'': Infantry Regiments have only battalion strength.

External links

Homepage 5th Brigade
''(Japanese)'' {{JGSDF Units Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Brigade Military units and formations established in 2004