Reconnaissance regiments (Japan)

The Reconnaissance regiment (搜索聯隊 or 搜索隊, Sōsaku-rentai or Sōsaku-tai) was a type of military establishment within the Imperial Japanese Army during the 1940-1945 period. Derived from the Cavalry regiment, the reconnaissance regiment was tasked with combat scouting. In Japanese military literature, the term "reconnaissance regiment" is commonly abbreviated as SO. These regiments were often attached to numerous Japanese divisions during the initial stages of the Pacific War. In contemporary Japan, these regiments are analogous to Reconnaissance battalions within the divisions of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.