1st Artillery Brigade (Japan)

**1st Artillery Brigade**
1st Artillery Brigade
Active	October 1952 – present
Country	Japan
Branch	Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Type	Artillery
Role	Anti-ship warfare; Artillery observer; Counter-battery fire; Fire support; Indirect fire
Size	Brigade
Part of	Northern Army
Garrison/HQ	Chitose
Commanders
Current; commander	Maj. Gen. Kenji Kagawa

The 1st Artillery Brigade (Japanese: 第1特科団) is the only active artillery brigade of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The brigade is subordinated to the Northern Army and is headquartered in Chitose, Hokkaidō. Its responsibility is the defense of Hokkaidō.

Organization

1st Artillery Brigade, in Chitose
- 1st Artillery Brigade HQ, in Chitose
- 1st Artillery Regiment (Mechanized), in Chitose
  - 129th Artillery Battalion, with three batteries of M270 multiple rocket launchers
  - 131st Artillery Battalion, in Kamifurano, with three batteries of M270 multiple rocket launchers
- 1st Surface-to-Surface Missile Regiment, in Chitose, with four batteries of Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles
- 2nd Surface-to-Surface Missile Regiment, in Bibai, with four batteries of Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles
- 3rd Surface-to-Surface Missile Regiment, in Kamifurano, with four batteries of Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles
- 301st Observation Battery, in Chitose