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The is a special forces unit established by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces on March 27, 2001 in response to a previous spy ship incursion that occurred on the Noto Peninsula in 1999.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Special Operations Units and Intelligence Organizations in Japan )〕 The unit was created to perform similar roles to those undertaken by American Navy SEALs and the British SBS.〔 Its structure is based on the SBS. They are based in Etajima, Hiroshima. Their field involves maritime anti-terrorist duties, including operations where arms are known to be involved. However, their duties and responsibilities overlap with those of the Special Security Team, the Japan Coast Guard's counter-terrorist unit. Since the SBU is a special forces unit, any kind of matters regarding acquisition of information on personnel, training and weapons are forbidden since they are highly classified.〔(【引用サイトリンク】script-title=ja:「答申書 『大湊における寒冷地実習に関する特別警備隊一般命令』の一部開示決定に関する件」 )〕 Its operators are seen publicly with balaclavas on to protect their identities.〔 ==History== After a failed Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces mission to stop North Korean spy ships that were in the territorial waters of the Noto Peninsula,〔 the SBU was established〔 with its headquarters based in Etajima, Hiroshima.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=DoS East Asia and Pacific Region, Japan, Exchange Training, FY 01 )〕 The unit had conducted some covert training in Etajima without any public knowledge after its creation, including exercises on boarding tactics to enter ships.〔(【引用サイトリンク】script-title=ja:装備も訓練も霧の中 )〕 Training was completed in 2000, a year after the SBU was created. A reported ship that illegally entered Amami Ōshima was seen nearby, which led to the mobilization of the SBU.〔 The ship, however, was said to have been scuttled while the unit waited for orders from the Japanese Defense Agency.〔 The unit had made its existence known to the public in 2007 during a training exercise, which involved the deployment of Howa Type 89–armed SBU operators via RHIBs and SH-60J helicopters. When the unit was created, it had requested training with the US Navy SEALs, but had not been able to do so due to schedule problems.〔 To resolve this, the SBU had requested training assistance from the SBS to help in founding the unit.〔〔〔 However, they have lately been also trained by the Navy SEALs. Due to the nature of their duties and responsibilities, an amendment had been passed to raise their salaries. It was announced recently by Yasukazu Hamada that the SBU will be possibly deployed for its first mission to Somalia to engage in anti-Somali piracy operations.〔 SBU operators had left Japan on March 14, 2009 deployed on board the ''Murasame''-class destroyer JDS DD-106 ''Samidare'' and the ''Takanami''-class destroyer JDS DD-113 ''Sazanami''.〔 Prior to the SBU's overseas deployment to Somalia, the unit had practiced alongside Japan Coast Guard units in simulating a raid on a pirate vessel played by JCG officers without any warning shots fired by SBU operators off the coast of Kure, Hiroshima with a total of 250 people participating, 60 from the JCG.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Dispatch of MSDF Vessels to Water off the Coast of Somalia )〕 It was suggested that the SBU could have participated in military operations in Iraq alongside the US military's naval special forces in case of a hostage rescue mission involving Japanese nationals.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Special Boarding Unit」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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