Public Security Section 9

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Public Security Section 9
A fan artist's impression of Section 9's sign plate
Publication information
Publisher	Kodansha (Japan), Dark Horse Comics (US) (CA)
First appearance	Ghost in the Shell manga
Created by	Masamune Shirow
In-story information
Type of organization	Special law enforcement Cyber threat intelligence and criminal intelligence unit Offensive domestic counter-cyberterrorism actions
Leader(s)	Daisuke Aramaki
Agent(s)	Motoko Kusanagi Buttotsu Batou Togusa Maven Ladriya Borma Ishikawa Saito Pazu Proto Azuma Yano (Deceased) Hikagi Soma

Public Security Section 9 (Japanese: 公安9課, Hepburn: Kōan Kyūka) is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, Naimu-shō).^[1] In some translations, the name is given as Public Safety Section 9. In the original film, it is known as the Shell Squad or Security Police Section 9.^[2] In the original publication of the manga, it was known as Mobile Armored Riot Police Section 9.^[3] Regardless of translation, when spoken of by the characters, it is simply referred to as Section 9.

The Section 9 is composed of former military officers, forensics scientists, and police detectives; these agents answer only to the Chief Director and the Prime Minister of Japan. Most information about Section 9 remains highly classified; the Ministry of Home Affairs does not comment on the details of its activities. The public at large is unaware that Section 9 even exists, though the National Diet and other security forces sections are generally aware of them as a black operations unit. This allows Section-9 to operate independently from governmental oversight, cutting through red tape and bureaucracy.

Many of Section-9's functions are unique, its activities in support of national security are comparable to those of the American FBI, the British MI5 and the Russian FSB. Their structure was based on the German GSG-9.^[4] Due to cross-training exercises in the past with the British Special Air Service's (SAS) 22nd Regiment, which also included personnel exchanges,^[5] Section 9's structure has been partially influenced by the British SAS.^[5]