The is the highest-ranking military officer and head of the Operational Authority (command) over the
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...
(JSDF). The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff assists the
Minister of Defense
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
on all matters of the JSDF, and executes orders of the
Minister of Defense
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
with directions from the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
.
The current ''Chief of Staff, Joint Staff'' is General
Kōji Yamazaki
General is a Japanese general who serves as the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). Before assuming the post in April 2019, he was the Chief of the Ground Staff at the JGSDF.
Career
Yamazaki graduated fro ...
.
Structure
The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, is the head of the , which consists of a Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, the Vice Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, an Administrative Vice Chief of Staff, as well as numerous departments and special staffs.
The Chief of Staff, Joint Staff supervises the service branches operations of the
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...
, and would assume command in the event of a war, but their powers are limited to policy formation and defense coordination during peacetime.
The chain of operational authority runs from the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff to the commanders of the several Operational Commands.
Each service branch is headed by its respective chief of staff, who has administrative control over its own services.
List of officeholders
Chairman of the Joint Staff Council
Chief of Staff, Joint Staff
See also
*
Minister of Defense (Japan)
The , or , is a member of the Japanese cabinet and is the leader of the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the executive department of the Japanese Armed Forces. The minister of defense’s position of command and authority over the military is s ...
References
{{Chief of military by country
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
Military units and formations established in 1954