They were under the operational control of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS or Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koku Hombu). They came from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Yokosuka SNLFs.
The troops were officially part of the Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF or Rikusentai), the navy's marine corps. The Imperial Japanese Navy fielded marine paratroopers during World War II.
