Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force has appointed a new mascot to represent it and strike fear into the hearts of those who dare to enter Japanese territorial waters uninvited: a giant, pink sea cucumber.

Namakoro the sea cucumber will represent the de facto navy which boasts 154 ships and 346 aircraft and consists of approximately 45,800 personnel.

I like how they picked the most harmless animal ever to represent self defense. https://t.co/aPpnNVKgyo — Peter Pumpkin (@AvillanAppears) October 25, 2018

The new mascot for Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force. Because Japan. pic.twitter.com/g5LSXbTwKE — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) October 25, 2018

The decision was made because “sea cucumbers don't run, don't hide, and have thick skin which is good for protection from enemies,” according to Mondo Mascots, a blog which posts updates on Japanese mascots.

*READ WITH YOUR DEEPEST MOVIE VOICE* In a world of dark & dreary news... One story shines... A MUST READ for the ages: ⚡️“Japan appoints a pink sea cucumber as its new mascot for the Maritime Self-Defence Force”https://t.co/gBa37WrXY2 — J. P. Hutson (@jphutson) October 26, 2018

Japan is a gift to us all // “Japan appoints a pink sea cucumber as its new mascot for the Maritime Self-Defence Force”https://t.co/WSNR2oZ7sJ — Luke Nyland (@MrLlamatastic) October 25, 2018

Sea cucumbers don’t wear sailor suits or have cartoon-like features and can actually look mildly terrifying in certain circumstances.

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There are thousands of mascots across Japan from a guinea pig dressed as a deer, to a blue singer with a toilet for a head. The practice exploded in Japan about five years ago following the success of Hikonyan, the samurai cat mascot of a castle in Hikone, which hugely boosted tourism at the site.

Line dancing mascots pic.twitter.com/rFTZ6ekY3b — Mondo Mascots (@mondomascots) October 24, 2018

“Every other town is having a go, small villages will make a really cheap mascot, like, they’ll cobble it together out of a cardboard box and some fabric and it’ll be based on a design from the local eight-year-old and they’ll have this shambolic mascot wandering around the town,” Chris Carlier, an Englishman living in Japan for the past 16 years and operator of the Mondo Mascots website, told VICE.

Awawa the superhero soap bubble is on the attack. pic.twitter.com/HENOA7in69 — Mondo Mascots (@mondomascots) October 27, 2018

Mascot culture is a big deal in Japan, and is used to promote causes from health screenings, civic duty, shopping and sports teams. A ‘pear fairy’ was even appointed as the temporary chief of police in Chiba.

Funassyi the anarchic pear fairy was made chief of police for the day in Chiba, Japan, today. https://t.co/sOHaScIQ1Fpic.twitter.com/5YynK3Du75 — Mondo Mascots (@mondomascots) October 26, 2018

Coroton the spherical pig is a natural sumo wrestler. pic.twitter.com/OF7nldhCQQ — Mondo Mascots (@mondomascots) October 26, 2018

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