| Japanese Home Islands Campaign | |||||||||
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| Part of Asia-Pacific Front of World War III | |||||||||
 JSDF soldiers armed with the new Type 89 assault rifle conducting a raid on a Chinese-occupied island in the Ryukyus. | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
Allies
Supported by:
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Communist Forces | ||||||||
This Japanese Home Islands Campaign (also called the Battle for Japan) was an attempted offensive meant to cripple U.S. bases in the island nation of Japan, and if necessary, occupy the entire country. The Soviet Union took the opportunity to attack Hokkaido via the Kuril Islands following China's entry into war. The plan was to meet up with Chinese forces going to attack Japan via the Ryukyu Islands. At the same time, China had attacked the Himalayas, the Korean Peninsula, and the Philippines as a diversion to allied forces in the Asia-Pacific.
Background[]
Following Japan's defeat to the allies during World War II, a new constitution was enacted in which Japan would have to disband its imperial military. This left Japan virtually defenseless except for a police force during the American occupation. The Kuril and Sakhalin Islands were also occupied by the Soviet Union.
During the Korean War in 1950 with most of the U.S. troops being diverted from Japan to South Korea, plans were enacted to make a "defense force" for Japan. The Japan Self Defense Force was established in 1954, serving as Japan's de facto military with a ground force, maritime defense force, and an air defense force. Article 9 prohibits Japan of sending the SDF to foreign places.
Throughout the Cold War, the SDF was aligned with the United States in containing the Soviet Union, North Korea, and China (until 1970s). Since the threat of Soviet Navy submarines was present, the JMSDF mainly focused on anti-submarine capabilities. Following the shoot-down of KAL 007 on September 1, 1983, the SDF was on high alert for any incursions of Soviet aircraft and ballistic missiles. Prior to World War III, the Kurils and Sakhalin remained within the grip of the USSR, a source of dispute of both sides in addition that Japan did not officially sign a peace treaty with the Soviets to formally end their hostilities from the Second World War.
When World War III began, the SDF was mobilized in support of their American allies. When China entered the war and declared war on the Allies, the Japanese Diet led by Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu held an emergency meeting to revoke Article 9 at least temporarily to support the United States and Britain against Soviet or Chinese aggression, as communism was reviled in Japan. While reading for defense of the Home Islands, Japan managed to send some troops and special forces to the Second Korean War and one destroyer escort in the defense of Taiwan to counter the PLA's Taiwanese Campaign.
The Battle[]
Type 74 MBT firing its main cannon in the defense of Okinawa.
The attempted invasion of Japan was costly for both sides. The Japan Self-Defense Force, accompanied by U.S. Marines and the U.S. Navy, was able to perform efficiently on the battlefield, having been braced for any attack on belligerent states. The Chinese were able to land in the Ryukyu Islands and push inland into Okinawa. In Okinawa, fierce combat occurred between the PLA, the JSDF, and the U.S. Marines. Meanwhile, in Hokkaido, the Soviets were able to occupy the island but any advance further south was halted. It would remain the same stalemate until Soviet forces were recalled by arrested President Mikhail Gorbachev after he was released in counter coup d'etat against the hardline Soviet government. Upon the withdrawal of Soviet forces in Hokkaido (including the Kurils and Sakhalin Island), the remaining PLA in the Ryukyus were either killed or captured by the JSDF. A joint SDF-USMC amphibious landing then took place in on Kuril and Sakhalin, planting the Hinomaru (Flag of Japan) on these islands.
Aftermath[]
The JSDF were able to prove to the world that Japan was not an easy place to invade. They were able to defend the Home Islands from invasion. The temporary revoking of Article 9 also terrified some of the hardliners of the Chinese Communist Party and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. While many nationalistic South Koreans did not positively see the return of Japanese SDF troops back to the Korean Peninsula but were thankful for all the help they could get.