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Kōji Yamazaki

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Kōji Yamazaki
Sơn kỳ hạnh nhị
General Yamazaki asJGSDFChief
Chief of Staff, Joint Staff
In office
April 1, 2019 – March 30, 2023
Prime MinisterShinzo Abe
Yoshihide Suga
Fumio Kishida
Preceded byKatsutoshi Kawano
Succeeded byYoshihide Yoshida
Chief of the Ground Staff
In office
August 8, 2017 – March 31, 2019
Prime MinisterShinzo Abe
Preceded byToshiya Okabe
Succeeded byGoro Yuasa
Personal details
Born(1961-01-16)January 16, 1961(age 63)
Nishikatsura, Yamanashi,Japan
Alma materNational Defense Academy of Japan
Military service
AllegianceJapan
Branch/serviceJapan Ground Self-Defense Force
Years of service1983–2023
RankGeneral
CommandsChief of Staff, Joint Staff
Chief of the Ground Staff, JGSDF
Northern Army
Vice Chief of Staff, Joint Staff
9th Division
Director General, Personnel Department, Ground Staff Office
4th Engineer Brigade

GeneralKōji Yamazaki(Sơn kỳ hạnh nhị,Yamazaki Kōji)is a Japanese retired general who served as theChief of Staff, Joint Staffof theJapan Self-Defense Forcesfrom April 2019 to March 2023. He previously served as the Chief of the Ground Staff at theJGSDFfrom August 2017 to March 2019.

Then-Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Koji Yamazaki (right), with Maj. Gen. Takuto Ogasawara (left), Joint Staff College Ministry of Defense Vice Commandant, and Lt. Gen. John L. Doland (middle) ofUnited States Forces Japanduring the Japan Joint Staff 10th anniversary ceremony at Hotel Grand Hill, Ichigaya, Japan

Career

[edit]
Chief of Staff Koji Yamazaki shakes hands with Lt. Gen.Lawrence D. Nicholsonof theIII Marine Expeditionary Force(2017)
Gen. Koji Yamazaki, with USChairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffGen.Mark A. MilleyandSouth Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffGen.Park Han-kiat a multilateral meeting atWashington, D.C.
General Yamazaki with Lieutenant GeneralAviv Kochaviduring his visit in Israel (2019)
General Yamazaki (2nd from left) meets with US AdmiralsJohn C. AquilinoandPhilip S. Davidson,USChairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffGen.Mark A. Milley,andSouth Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffGen.Won In-choul(2021).

Yamazaki graduated from the 27th semester of the Civil Engineering Department of theNational Defense Academy of Japanin March 1983, and started his career as a military engineer, and later held various key positions in the engineering field and staff positions. He also served as the Director of the Logistics Management Division, as commander of the 8th Facility Battalion while subsequently serving as the Facility Manager of the8th Division (Japan)headquarters and as the Sendai garrison commander under theNorth Eastern Armyin March 2001. Yamazaki was also the commanding General of the 4th Engineer Brigade, based in Camp Okubo inUji,Kyoto Prefecturein 2008. In August 2002, he served at the Affairs Section of the Ground Staff Office, Human Resources Department; and was named as the chief executive of the 1st Personnel Division of the Personnel Division at the Ground Staff Office.

Yamazaki also attended various courses in the country and abroad, as he completed theRanger Courseof theJGSDF,where he is a qualified member of theSpecial Forces Groupand was awarded theJGSDF Ranger Badge.He also completed the CO-OP program, a joint collaboration project of the JGSDF and theUnited States Army, Japanin 1995, where he was among the first students to complete the course.[1]Then-Colonel Yamazaki also studied at theNational War CollegeinWashington, D.C.,where he graduated in April 2005. He served as a researcher at the Ground Self-Defense Force Research Division in August 2006, before being named as the Ground Planning Officer in the Equipment Planning Department 4 months later, in December 2006. He was named as the commander of Facility No. 4 and thereafter served as commander of the Okubo Garrison in Camp Okubo in August 2008, and was named as theDeputy Chief of Staff of the Western Armyin June 2010. He became the Director General, Personnel Department of the Ground Staff Office in July 2012. Yamazaki was named as the commander of the9th Divisionin August 2014 before becoming the Vice Chief of Staff, Joint Staff in March 2015; and became commander of theNorthern Army,based atSapporoinHokkaidōin July 2016.

In August 2017, he was appointed35th Chief of the Ground Staffof theJapan Ground Self-Defense Force,the highest position in the JGSDF after the resignation of General Toshiya Okabe and former Defense MinisterTomomi Inadaamidst claims over a cover up scandal within theMinistry of Defense,exposing the danger Japanese peacekeepers were facing inSouth Sudan.[2]As the Chief of the Ground Staff, he strengthened Japan's strategic partnerships and mutual defense policies in the Asia-Pacific Region, such as strengthening cooperation to thePhilippines,where he met with then-Commanding General of the Philippine ArmyLieutenant GeneralMacairog Alberto,[3]and theChief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the PhilippinesGeneralBenjamin Madrigal Jr.;[4]and the United States, where he met numerous US military generals and continued to enhance the US-Japan military relations.[1]

In April 2019, Yamazaki was appointed by then-Prime MinisterShinzo Abeas theChief of Staff, Joint Staff,the JSDF's highest position. As the Chief of the Joint Staff, he continued his approach on nourishing Japan's role in the Asia-Pacific and abroad, such as the United States, where he met withChairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffGeneralMark A. Milley;inIsrael,where he met Lieutenant GeneralAviv Kochavi;[5]inSouth Korea,where he met twoChairmen of the Joint Chiefs of StaffGeneralPark Han-kiand GeneralWon In-choul,;[6]inIndia,where he met with GeneralBipin Rawat,[7]and other countries such asBrazil,where he met with theCommander of the Brazilian ArmyArmy GeneralEdson Leal Pujol.[8]General Yamazaki also vowed to strengthen Japan's military capabilities and ensuring that Japan can defend its sovereignty in the East China Sea, particularly in theSenkaku Islands,as the country facesterritorial disputesand incursions fromChina'sChina Coast Guard,thePeople's Liberation Army Navy,and thePeople's Liberation Army Air Force.[9]Yamazaki also vowed to strengthen Japan's presence in theEast China Seaand in theSouth China Sea,and maintain the status quo in securing theTaiwan Strait,asTaiwanand China continues to escalate its tensions amidst a possible invasion of Taiwan by thePeople's Liberation Army.[6]

On May 19, 2022, General Yamazaki was the first high ranked JSDF officer to attend aNATOMilitary Chiefs of Defense meeting inBrussels,Belgium,and expanded mutual cooperation efforts between the JSDF and NATO within the global scene.[10]This was also expanded during Yamazaki's meeting with the NATOChair of the NATO Military CommitteeLieutenant AdmiralRob Bauer,where the two leaders collaborated in enhancing Japan's partnership with the NATO alliance.[11]Yamazaki was initially set to retire on 16 January 2022, as he reached his mandatory military retirement age as Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, of 62 years old. Yamazaki's term as Chief of Staff, Joint Staff was extended for 6 months under an ordinance signed by theMinistry of Defense,and is set to last until 15 July 2023.[12]However, his extensions was cut short and he retired from the service on 30 March 2023, where he was replaced by GeneralYoshihide Yoshida.[13]On 12 July 2023, Yamazaki was appointed to serve as an advisor to theMinistry of Defense,where he replaced Kazuhisa Shimada.[14]

Biography

[edit]
  • March 1983: Graduated from theNational Defense Academy of Japan(27th term) and joined theJapan Ground Self-Defense Force
  • July 1997 (Heisei 9): Promoted tolieutenant colonel
  • March 2001: Commander of the 8th Facility Battalion and Facility Manager of the8th Division (Japan)headquarters and Sendai garrison commander
  • January 2002 (Heisei 14): promoted tocolonel
    • August: Affairs Section, Ground Staff Office, Human Resources Department
  • August 2003: Leader, 1st Personnel Division, Personnel Division, Ground Staff Staff
  • April 2005: With Central Archives (studied in theNational War College)
  • August 2006: Ground Self-Defense Force Research Division researcher
    • December: Ground Planning Officer, Equipment Planning
  • August 1, 2008: Promoted to deputymajor general,Commander of Facility No. 4 and Commander of Okubo Garrison
  • June 8, 2010: Deputy Chief of Staff for theWestern Army (Japan)
  • July 26, 2012: Director of Human Resources, Ground Staff
  • August 5, 2014: Promotion tolieutenant general,9th Division (Japan)Commander
  • March 30, 2015: Joint Staff Staff Deputy Director
  • July 1, 2016: Appointed the 36th General Director of theNorthern District
  • August 8, 2017: Appointed 35th Chief of Ground Staff
  • April 1, 2019: Became the 6thChief of Staff, Joint Staff.[15]
  • January 16, 2023: Term as Chief of Staff, Joint Staff extended for 6 months.[12]
  • March 30, 2023: Retired from military service.[13]
  • July 12, 2023: Advisor to theMinistry of Defense[14]

Dates of promotion

[edit]
Insignia Rank Date
Second Lieutenant March 1983
Lieutenant Colonel July 1997
Colonel January 2002
Major General August 2008
Lieutenant General August 2014
General August 2017

Awards

[edit]

Defensive memorial cordons

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"JGSDF members work with U.S. Soldiers, gain personal development skills through CO-OP program".www.army.mil.20 September 2018.
  2. ^"Japan's defense minister expected to resign on Friday, media say".Retrieved5 September2020.
  3. ^"JGSDF chief visits PH Army counterpart".www.pna.gov.ph.
  4. ^News, G. M. A."Japan Ground Forces chief pays courtesy call on AFP's Madrigal".GMA News Online.{{cite news}}:|last1=has generic name (help)
  5. ^Algemeiner, The."For First Time, Japanese Military Chief Visits Israel".Algemeiner.com.
  6. ^ab"US, Japan, South Korea generals hold first meeting since outbreak".Nikkei Asia.
  7. ^P, Rajat; Apr 15, it / TNN / Updated."LAC: China resorted to 'my way or no way' policies but India stood firm, says Gen Rawat | India News - Times of India".The Times of India.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^"DefesaNet - Brasil-Japão - Cooperação militar em diversas áreas na pauta de viagem oficial do Comandante do Exército ao Japão".DefesaNet(in Portuguese). 23 July 2019.
  9. ^"Japanese Defense Head Warns of Chinese Intrusions Near Senkaku Islands".USNI News.2 August 2019.
  10. ^"Japan's top uniformed officer to attend 1st NATO military chiefs meeting".nikkei.May 17, 2022. Archived fromthe originalon May 16, 2022.
  11. ^"NATO and Japan are natural partners, says Chair of the NATO Military Committee".NATO.
  12. ^ab"Phòng vệ tỉnh phát lệnh"(PDF).
  13. ^ab"Yoshida Tapped as Japan's Next Joint Staff Chief".Thời sự thông tín ニュース(in Japanese).
  14. ^abINC, SANKEI DIGITAL (12 July 2023)."Đảo điền tiền phòng vệ thứ quan が cố vấn thối nhậm phòng vệ tỉnh".Sản kinh ニュース(in Japanese).
  15. ^Phòng vệ tỉnh phát lệnh ( tương nhân sự ) 2019 niên 4 nguyệt 1 nhật2019 niên 3 nguyệt 19 nhật duyệt lãm
  16. ^"Japan honors the fallen".www.army.mil.
  17. ^"U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Presents Gen. Yamazaki with Legion of Merit".U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
  18. ^"Australian Gazette"(PDF).
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Staff, Joint Staff
April 1, 2019-March 30, 2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Toshiya Okabe
 Chief of the Ground Staff
August 8, 2017-March 31, 2019 		Succeeded by
Gorō Yuasa
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