In view of the significant changes in the security　environment resulting from the increased proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, the activities of international terrorist organizations, and other factors, the National Defense Program Guidelines states that the paramount role of our defensive effective response to new threats and diverse situations.
It illustrates the nature of these new threats and diverse situations with five different categories of response. These are:
(1) Response to ballistic missile attacks,
(2) Response to attacks by guerrillas or special operations units,
(3) Response to the invasion upon islands,
(4) Warningand surveillance in sea areas and airspace surrounding Japan and response to aerial invasion, and armed special operations vessels, and
(5) Response to large, extraordinary disasters. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force responds to these situations, primarily on the sea.