Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces explained

The Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces are the military insignia used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

History

Following the end of World War II in Asia, after the surrender of Japan, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were dissolved by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in 1945, during the Allied occupation that lasted until 1952. The 1947 constitution stipulated that armed forces with war potential will not be maintained.

The symbols below represent the ranks of the Japan Self-Defence Forces: the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force, the Japan Air Self-Defence Force, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, which replaced the imperial military in 1954.

The 1871–1945 Japanese military and naval ranks were phased out after World War II. The Self-Defence 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.

Ground Self-Defense Force

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Maritime Self-Defense Force

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Air Self-Defense Force

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Timeline

Commissioned Officer Ranks

|Japanese: 2等警察正
Japanese: Nitō-keisatsusei|Japanese: 警察士長
Japanese: Keisatsusi-chō|Japanese: 1等警察士
Japanese: Ittō-keisatushi|Japanese: 2等警察士
Japanese: Nitō-keisatsusi|colspan=2||- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"!Japanese: 保安隊 (National Safety Force)
Japanese: Hoantai
|Japanese: 第一幕僚長たる保安監
Japanese: Dai'ichibakuryōchō-taru-hoankan|Japanese: 保安監
Japanese: Hoankan|Japanese: 保安監補
Japanese: Hoankan-ho|Japanese: 1等保安正
Japanese: Ittō-hoansei|Japanese: 2等保安正
Japanese: Nitō-hansei|Japanese: 3等保安正
Japanese: Santō-hoansei |Japanese: 1等保安士
Japanese: ittō-hoanshi|Japanese: 2等保安士
Japanese: Nitō-hoanshi |Japanese: 3等保安士
Japanese: Santō-hoanshi|rowspan=6||- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"!Japanese: [[Coastal Safety Force|海上警備隊]] (Coastal Safety Force)
Japanese: Kaijō-keibitai
|colspan=2| Japanese: 海上警備監
Japanese: kaijō-keibikan|Japanese: 海上警備監補
Japanese: Kaijō-keibikan-ho|Japanese: 1等海上警備正
Japanese: Itto-kaijō-keibisei|Japanese: 2等海上警備正
Japanese: Nitō-kaijō-keibisei|Japanese: 3等海上警備正
Japanese: Santō-kaijō-keibisei|Japanese: 1等海上警備士
Japanese: Itto-kaijō-keibishi|Japanese: 2等海上警備士
Japanese: Nitō-kaijō-keibishi|Japanese: 3等海上警備士
Japanese: Santō-kaijō-keibishi|- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"!Japanese: [[Safety Security Force|警備隊]] (Safety Security Force)
Japanese: Keibitai
|Japanese: 第二幕僚長たる警備監^[7]
Japanese: Dainibakuryōchō-taru-keibikan|Japanese: 警備監^[8]
Japanese: Keibikan|Japanese: 警備監補
Japanese: Keibikan-ho|Japanese: 1等警備正
Japanese: Ittō-keibisei|Japanese: 2等警備正
Japanese: Nitō-keibisei|Japanese: 3等警備正
Japanese: Santō-keibisei|Japanese: 1等警備士
Japanese: Ittō-keibishi|Japanese: 2等警備士
Japanese: Nitō-keibishi|Japanese: 3等警備士
Japanese: Santō-keibishi|- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"!rowspan=2|Japanese: 自衛隊
Japanese: Jieitai
|- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|colspan=2 rowspan=3|Japanese: 将
Japanese: Shō|rowspan=3|Japanese: 将補
Japanese: Shō-ho|rowspan=3|Japanese: 1佐
Japanese: Issa|rowspan=3|Japanese: 2佐
Japanese: Nisa|rowspan=3|Japanese: 3佐
Japanese: Sansa|rowspan=3|Japanese: 1尉
Japanese: Ichi'i|rowspan=3|Japanese: 2尉
Japanese: Ni'i|rowspan=3|Japanese: 3尉
Japanese: San'i|- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"!|rowspan=2| Japanese: 幕僚長たる将
Japanese: Bakuryōchō-taru-shō|- style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;!　|Japanese: 准尉
Japanese: Jun'i|-style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"!U.S. equvalent|GEN
ADM
Gen.|LTG
VADM
Lt.Gen.|MG
RADM
Maj.Gen.|BG
RDML
Brig.Gen.|COL
CAPT
Col.|LTC
CDR
Lt.Col.|MAJ
LCDR
Maj.|CPT
LT
Capt.|1LT
LTJG
1st LT.|2LT
ENS
2nd LT.|WO
WO
WO|}

Other Ranks

Rank group	NCO's				Enlisted
Japanese: [[National Police Reserve#Ranks|警察予備隊]] (National Police Reserve) Japanese: Keisatsu-yobitai	<	--None-->	Japanese: 1等警察士補 Japanese: Ittō-keisatsushi-ho	Japanese: 2等警察士補 Japanese: Nitō-keisatsushi-ho	Japanese: 3等警察士補 Japanese: Santō-keisatsushi-ho	Japanese: 警査長 Japanese: Keisa-chō	Japanese: 1等警査 Japanese: Ittō-keisa	Japanese: 2等警査 Japanese: Nitō-keisa	<	--None-->
Japanese: 保安隊 (National Safety Force) Japanese: Hoantai		Japanese: 1等保安士補 Japanese: Ittō-hoanshi-ho	Japanese: 2等保安士補 Japanese: Nitō-hoanshi-ho	Japanese: 3等保安士補 Japanese: Santō-hoanshi-ho	Japanese: 保査長 Japanese: Hosa-chō	Japanese: 1等保査 Japanese: Ittō-hosa	Japanese: 2等保査 Japanese: Nitō-hosa
Japanese: [[Coastal Safety Force|海上警備隊]] (Coastal Safety Force) Japanese: Kaijō-keibitai		Japanese: 1等海上警備士補 Japanese: Ittō-kaijōkeibishi-ho	Japanese: 2等海上警備士補 Japanese: Nitō-kaijōkeibishi-ho	Japanese: 3等海上警備士補 Japanese: Santō-kaijōkeibishi-ho	Japanese: 海上警備員長 Japanese: Kaijōkeibi'in-chō	Japanese: 1等海上警備員 Japanese: Ittō-kaijōkeibi'in	Japanese: 2等海上警備員 Japanese: Nitō-kaijōkeibi'in	Japanese: 3等海上警備員 Japanese: Santō-kaijōkeibi'in
Japanese: [[Safety Security Force|警備隊]] (Safety security Force) Japanese: Keibitai		Japanese: 1等警備士補 Japanese: Ittō-keibishi-ho	Japanese: 2等警備士補 Japanese: Nitō-keibishi-ho	Japanese: 3等警備士補 Japanese: Santō-keibishi-ho	Japanese: 警査長 Japanese: Keisa-chō	Japanese: 1等警査 Japanese: Ittō-keisa	Japanese: 2等警査 Japanese: Nitō-keisa	Japanese: 3等警査 Japanese: Santō-keisa
Japanese: 自衛隊 Japanese: Jieitai		Japanese: 1曹 Japanese: Issō	Japanese: 2曹 Japanese: Nisō	Japanese: 3曹 Japanese: Sansō	Japanese: 士長 Japanese: Shichō	Japanese: 1士 Japanese: Isshi	Japanese: 2士 Japanese: Nishi	Japanese: 3士 Japanese: Sanshi
	Japanese: 曹長 Japanese: Sōchō
								Japanese: 自衛官候補生 Japanese: Jieikan-kōhosei
U.S.equivalent	1SG SCPO SMSgt	SFC CPO MSgt	SSG PO1 TSgt	SGT PO2 SSgt	CPL PO3 SrA	PFC SN A1C	PV2 SA Amn	PV1 SR AB

See also

• Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army
• Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy

External links

• Web site: Japan . uniforminsignia.org . The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia . 7 June 2021.

Notes and References

1. Book: ja . Japanese: 自衛隊の階級 . Ranks of the JSDF . ja:平成16年版 防衛白書 . Defense of Japan 2004 . . 266 . http://www.clearing.mod.go.jp/hakusho_data/2004/2004/pdf/16510000.pdf . 2004 . 2018-04-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130727224810/http://www.clearing.mod.go.jp/hakusho_data/2004/2004/pdf/16510000.pdf . 2013-07-27.
2. Web site: 自衛官の階級 . Self-Defense Forces rank . mod.go.jp . 26 December 2021 . ja.
3. Book: Dolan . Roland E. . Dolan . Roland E. . Worden . Robert L. . Japan: a country study . Area Handbook . 1992 . Library of Congress . Washington, D.C. . 91029874 . 448-449 . 5th . 21 October 2021 . National Security.
4. Web site: 階級章 . Rank chapter . mod.go.jp . 7 June 2021 . ja.
5. Web site: Rank of Insignias . yokota.af.mil . Yokota Air Base . 7 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150215091853/https://www.yokota.af.mil/shared/media/document/afd-120807-002.pdf . 15 February 2015 . dead.
6. At that time, they corresponded to three-star rank, two-star rank and one-star rank respectively. パンツァー 1998年4月号 125頁。アルゴノート社。(PANZER April 1998 issu page.125 Argonaut.Inc.)
7. [:jp:世界の艦船|世界の艦船]
8. Japanese: Keibikan's cuff insignia used a gold stripe of 2-inchi, 1/4-inchi and 1/2-inchi array. ref name="rank insignia 2" relevant.