Military ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Following the end of World War II in Asia, after the surrender of Japan, the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy were dissolved by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers during the occupation of Japan. The symbols below represent the ranks of the Japan Self-Defense Forces: the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force which have, since 1954, replaced the imperial military. The 1938–1945 Japanese military and naval ranks were phased out after World War II. The self-defense force breaks away from the Sino-centric tradition of non-branch-specified ranks, each JSDF rank with respect to each service carries a distinct Japanese title, although equivalent titles in different branches are still similar, differing only in the use of the morphemes riku (ground) for the army ranks, kai (maritime) for the naval ranks, and kū (air) for the aviation ranks.[1]
The pentagramic stars on the insignia represent cherry blossoms. Because Japanese soldiers take an oath to die to protect the lives and wealth of Japanese citizens, they have been compared to delicate cherry blossoms that break easily.
Remarks
- An inauguration of the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff (統合幕僚長) wears Emblem of the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff (統合幕僚長章) on the left chest.
- The published NATO code is of reference level. There is no legal provision of NATO code in the JSDF.
- The classification of rank of general officers and flag officers listed is limited to Japan. For JSDF's general officer and flag officer, there is a rank classification that matches foreign armed forces such as United States Armed Forces, which is determined by the post.
Ground Self-Defense Force
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.
NATO Code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||
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(OF-8)[2] | (OF-7)[2] | (OF-6)[2] | ||||||||
Rank | 陸将 (統合幕僚長および陸上幕僚長) | 陸将 | 陸将補 | 1等陸佐 | 2等陸佐 | 3等陸佐 | 1等陸尉 | 2等陸尉 | 3等陸尉 | |
English translation | General or Army general[3][4] (rikushō serve as Chief of Staff) | Lieutenant general or Divisional general[3] (rikushō) | Major general or Brigade general[3] (rikushōho) |
Colonel (issa) | Lieutenant colonel (nisa) | Major (sansa) |
Captain (ichi-i) | First lieutenant (ni-i) | Second lieutenant (san-i) | |
Insignia Type A (甲階級章) |
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Insignia Type B (乙階級章) |
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Insignia Miniature Type (略章) |
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Usual Commanding Level | Chief of Staff | Ground Component Command and Army | Division | Brigade | Regiment | Battalion | Company | Platoon |
NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | OR-D |
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Rank | 准陸尉 | 陸曹長 | 1等陸曹 | 2等陸曹 | 3等陸曹 | 陸士長 | 1等陸士 | 2等陸士 | 自衛官候補生 |
English translation | Warrant Officer (jun-i) | Sergeant major (sōchō) | Master sergeant (issō) | Sergeant first class (nisō) | Sergeant (sansō) | Senior Private (sichō) | Private first class (issi) | Private (nisi) | Self defence official cadet (jiēkan-kōhosē) |
Insignia Type A (甲階級章) |
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Insignia Type B (乙階級章) |
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Insignia Miniature Type (略章) |
No insignia | ||||||||
Usual Commanding Level | Platoon | Section or Squad | No Commanding |
Maritime Self-Defense Force
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.
NATO Code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(OF-8)[2] | (OF-7)[2] | (OF-6)[2] | ||||||||
Rank | 海将 (統合幕僚長および海上幕僚長) | 海将 | 海将補 | 1等海佐 | 2等海佐 | 3等海佐 | 1等海尉 | 2等海尉 | 3等海尉 | |
English translation | Admiral (kaishō serve as Chief of Staff) | Vice admiral (kaishō) | Rear admiral (kaishōho) |
Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant | Lieutenant Junior grade | Ensign | |
Insignia Type A (甲階級章) |
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Insignia Type B (乙階級章) |
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Insignia Type C (丙階級章) |
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Insignia Miniature Type (略章) |
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Usual Commanding Level | Chief of Staff | Fleet | Type Force | Flotilla | Large Vessel or Division (Medium Vessel) | Medium Vessel or Division (Small Vessel) | Small Vessel | No Commanding |
NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | OR-D |
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Rank | 准海尉 | 海曹長 | 1等海曹 | 2等海曹 | 3等海曹 | 海士長 | 1等海士 | 2等海士 | 自衛官候補生 |
English translation | Warrant Officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer first class | Petty officer second class | Petty officer third class | Leading seaman | Seaman | Seaman apprentice | Self defence official cadet |
Type A (甲階級章) |
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Type B (乙階級章) |
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Type C (丙階級章) |
No insignia | ||||||||
Miniature (略章) |
No insignia |
Air Self-Defense Force
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.
NATO Code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(OF-8)[2] | (OF-7)[2] | (OF-6)[2] | ||||||||
Rank | 空将 (統合幕僚長および航空幕僚長) | 空将 | 空将補 | 1等空佐 | 2等空佐 | 3等空佐 | 1等空尉 | 2等空尉 | 3等空尉 | |
English translation | General or Army general[3] (kūshō serve as Chief of Staff | Lieutenant general or Divisional general[3] (kūshō) | Major general or Brigade general[3] (kūshōho) | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | |
Insignia Type A (甲階級章) |
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Insignia Type B (乙階級章) |
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Insignia Miniature Type (略章) |
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Usual Commanding Level | Chief of Staff | Major Command | Air Force | Wing | Group | Squadron | Flight | Element or Section |
NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | OR-D |
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Rank | 准空尉 | 空曹長 | 1等空曹 | 2等空曹 | 3等空曹 | 空士長 | 1等空士 | 2等空士 | 自衛官候補生 |
English translation | Warrant Officer | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Airman first class | Airman second class | Airman third class | Self defence official cadet |
Insignia Type A (甲階級章) |
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Insignia Type B (乙階級章) |
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Insignia Miniature Type (略章) |
No insignia | ||||||||
Usual Commanding Level | Element or Section | Detail | No Commanding |
See also
References
- ↑ "自衛隊の階級" [Ranks of the JSDF]. 平成16年版 防衛白書 [Defense of Japan 2004] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japanese Defense Agency. 2004. p. 266. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Classified in consideration of personnel balance of foreign armed forces such as United States Armed Forces.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Another translation. (It corresponds to designations such as France and Italy. )
- ↑ Divisional general serve as Chief of Staff( Le chef d'état-major de l'armée de terre japonaise en visite à Djibouti (French)
External links
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