Imperial Japanese Navy land forces

Imperial Japanese Navy land forces
大日本帝國海軍陸戦隊 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Rikusentai
The Imperial Japanese Navy ensign, also utilized by IJN land forces
Active	1876—1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Emperor of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Type	Shore-based naval personnel
Role	Amphibious operations Expeditionary warfare Airborne operations (select SNLF units) Jungle warfare Military policing (Tokkeitai units) Defensive operations Installation security Anti-aircraft defence Naval education and training
Engagements	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II

The Imperial Japanese Navy land forces were a variety of land-based units of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) organized for offensive operations, the defense of Japanese naval and shore-based facilities, military policing tasks, construction and engineering, training, and shore-based anti-aircraft roles; both overseas, and in the Japanese home islands. Units ranged from dedicated military police formations, to ad-hoc groups of naval personnel pressed into service as naval infantry, to professional marines, among others. The land forces were most active during the interwar period and World War II, with IJN land forces complementing, supporting, and in some cases, operating in-place of Imperial Japanese Army units. Upon Imperial Japan’s defeat in WWII, IJN land forces were disbanded alongside the IJN proper in 1945.