The Special Assault Teams (特殊急襲部隊 Tokushu Kyūshū Butai) are counter terrorism units of the Japanese police. They are established in some Prefectural Polices supervised by the National Police Agency. The SAT is mandated, along with the Anti-Firearms Squad and the Counter-NBC Terrorism Squad, for counter terrorism missions and incidents involving firearms or criminals which require an armed response beyond the capabilities of local law enforcement in Japan. Most information on the unit has been confidential, its existence officially revealed only in 1996.