Shigeru Iwasaki

Shigeru Iwasaki (岩崎茂, Iwasaki Shigeru, born February 3, 1953) was the 4th Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. A four-star General from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Iwasaki was the highest-ranking military officer in Japan and ranked third in the overall chain of command (after the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense).[1][2][3]

Shigeru Iwasaki
General Iwasaki in August 2012
Born (1953-02-03) February 3, 1953
Morioka, Japan
Allegiance Japan
Service/branchJapan Air Self-Defense Force
Years of service1975 - 2014
Rank General
Commands heldChief of Staff, Joint Staff
Chief of the Air Staff, JASDF
Air Defense Command
2nd Air Wing
201st Tactical Fighter Squadron
AwardsOrder of Australia

Career
Gen. Iwasaki with Gen. Nick Houghton exchanging gifts in 2014.

Iwasaki was born and raised in Iwate Prefecture and attended Morioka Third High School. He attended the National Defense Academy of Japan, graduating into the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in 1975. He is trained to fly the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, Japan's primary jet fighter.[4]

In August 1991, then-Lieutenant Colonel Iwasaki took command of the 201st Tactical Fighter Squadron. In December 1997, then-Colonel Iwasaki took command of the 7th Air Wing. In January 2001, then-Major General Iwasaki took command of the 2nd Air Wing.[5]

In December 2010, General Iwasaki became the 31st Chief of Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. As Chief of Staff, he spearheaded the effort to procure the fifth generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.[6][7]

In January 2012, General Iwasaki was promoted to be Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff, becoming the highest-ranking official in the Japan Self-Defense Forces.[8] He replaced GSDF General Ryuichi Ariki, and his Vice Chief of Staff was Kōichi Isobe. He has presided over a number of significant national security issues, including the renewed Senkaku Islands dispute and the possible revision of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution (following the Liberal Democratic Party's landslide electoral victory in December 2012).

In 2015 he was appointed an honorary Officer in the Military Division of the Order of Australia, for his role in enhancing defence engagement and practical co-operation between Australia and Japan.[9]

Awards

Defensive memorial cordons

References
  1. Japan plans joint forces commander under joint staff chief | The Japan Times
  2. Shigeru Iwasaki
  3. ?https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/a-more-muscular-japan/2012/09/17/66d30c9c-ff80-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_gallery.html#photo=4
  4. INTERVIEW: Japan's military chief says F-35 is ‘best fighter’ - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun Archived 2013-07-21 at Archive.today
  5. Japan Defense Almanac 防衛年鑑（2010年版） ISBN 978-4938468316, 582頁
  6. Japan's military chief says F-35 is best fighter | Reuters
  7. Self Defense Forces chief says F-35′s are the best choice for Japan - The Japan Daily Press
  8. Chief of Staff,JS | Japan JS Official Website Archived 2013-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
  9. News.com.au, 27 March 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2016
Military offices
Preceded by
Ryoichi Oriki		 Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff
Japan Self-Defense Forces
2012-2014		 Succeeded by
Katsutoshi Kawano
Preceded by
Kenichiro Hokazono		 Chief of Staff
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
2010-2012		 Succeeded by
Haruhiko Kataoka
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