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
World War II officially ended in Asia on September 2, 1945, with the surrender of Japan on the . Before that, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, and the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, causing Emperor Hirohito to announce ...
, after the
surrender of Japan, the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
and
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
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-Defence Forces: the
Japan Ground Self-Defence Force, the
Japan Air Self-Defence Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfare. ...
, and the
Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force
, abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...
, which replaced the imperial military in 1954. The
1938–1945 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.
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
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States mi ...
.
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
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States mi ...
.
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
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States mi ...
.
See also
*
Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army
*
Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Ranks And Insignia Of The Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
Military ranks of Japan