# Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

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.
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.
| Rank group | General officers | General officers | General officers | Field officers | Field officers | Field officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Rank | 幕僚長たる陸将 Bakuryōchō-taru-rikushō | 陸将 Rikushō | 陸将補 Rikushō-ho | 1等陸佐 Ittō rikusa | 2等陸佐 Nitō rikusa | 3等陸佐 Santō rikusa | 1等陸尉 Ittō rikui | 2等陸尉 Nitō rikui | 3等陸尉 Santō rikui | 准陸尉 Jun rikui |
| Insignia Type A | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type B | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Miniature Type | | | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. equivalent | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Warrant officer |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Rank | 陸曹長 Rikusōchō | 1等陸曹 Ittō rikusō | 2等陸曹 Nitō rikusō | 3等陸曹 Santō rikusō | 陸士長 Rikushichō | 1等陸士 Ittō rikushi | 2等陸士 Nitō rikushi | 自衛官候補生 Jieikan kōhosei |
| Insignia Type A | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type B | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Miniature Type | | | | | | | | No insignia |
| U.S. equivalent | First sergeant | Sergeant first class | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Private first class | Private | Recruit |

## Maritime Self-Defense Force
### Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | Flag officers | Flag officers | Flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Rank | 幕僚長たる海将 Bakuryōchō-taru-kaishō | 海将 Kaishō | 海将補 Kaishō-ho | 1等海佐 Ittō kaisa | 2等海佐 Nitō kaisa | 3等海佐 Santō kaisa | 1等海尉 Ittō kaii | 2等海尉 Nitō kaii | 3等海尉 Santō kaii | 准海尉 Jun kaii |
| Insignia Type A | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type B | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type C | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Miniature Type | | | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. equivalent | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | Ensign | Warrant officer |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Rank | 海曹長 Kaisōchō | 1等海曹 Ittō kaisō | 2等海曹 Nitō kaisō | 3等海曹 Santō kaisō | 海士長 Kaishichō | 1等海士 Ittō kaishi | 2等海士 Nitō kaishi | 自衛官候補生 Jieikan kōhosei |
| Insignia Type A | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type B | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type C | | | | | | | | No insignia |
| Insignia Miniature Type | | | | | | | | No insignia |
| U.S. equivalent | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer first class | Petty officer second class | Petty officer third class | Seaman | Seaman apprentice | Seaman recruit |

## Air Self-Defense Force
### Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | Flag officers | Flag officers | Flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Rank | 幕僚長たる空将 Bakuryōchō-taru-kūshō | 空将 Kūshō | 空将補 Kūshō-ho | 1等空佐 Ittō kūsa | 2等空佐 Nitō kūsa | 3等空佐 Santō kūsa | 1等空尉 Ittō kūi | 2等空尉 Nitō kūi | 3等空尉 Santō kūi | 准空尉 Jun kūi |
| Insignia Type A | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type B | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Miniature Type | | | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. equivalent | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Warrant officer |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Rank | 空曹長 Kūsōchō | 1等空曹 Ittō kūsō | 2等空曹 Nitō kūsō | 3等空曹 Santō kūsō | 空士長 Kūshichō | 1等空士 Ittō kūshi | 2等空士 Nitō kūshi | 自衛官候補生 Jieikan kōhosei |
| Insignia Type A | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Type B | | | | | | | | |
| Insignia Miniature Type | | | | | | | | No insignia |
| U.S. equivalent | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Senior Airman | Airman first class | Airman | Recruit |

## Timeline
### Commissioned officer ranks

| Rank group | General / Flag Officers | General / Flag Officers | General / Flag Officers | General / Flag Officers | Field Officers | Field Officers | Field Officers | Junior Officers | Junior Officers | Junior Officers | Junior Officers |
| National Police Reserve 1950–1952 |
| National Police Reserve 1950–1952 | | 総隊総監たる警察監 Sōtisōkan-taru-keisatsukan | 警察監 Keisatsukan | 警察監補 Keisatsukan-ho | 1等警察正 Ittō-keisatsusei | 2等警察正 Nitō-keisatsusei | 警察士長 Keisatsusi-chō | 1等警察士 Ittō-keisatushi | 2等警察士 Nitō-keisatsusi | | |
| National Safety Force 1952–1954 | | 第一幕僚長たる保安監 Dai'ichibakuryōchō-taru-hoankan | 保安監 Hoankan | 保安監補 Hoankan-ho | 1等保安正 Ittō-hoansei | 2等保安正 Nitō-hansei | 3等保安正 Santō-hoansei | 1等保安士 ittō-hoanshi | 2等保安士 Nitō-hoanshi | 3等保安士 Santō-hoanshi | |
| Coastal Safety Force 1952 | | 海上警備監 kaijō-keibikan | 海上警備監 kaijō-keibikan | 海上警備監補 Kaijō-keibikan-ho | 1等海上警備正 Itto-kaijō-keibisei | 2等海上警備正 Nitō-kaijō-keibisei | 3等海上警備正 Santō-kaijō-keibisei | 1等海上警備士 Itto-kaijō-keibishi | 2等海上警備士 Nitō-kaijō-keibishi | 3等海上警備士 Santō-kaijō-keibishi | |
| Safety Security Force 1952–1954 | | 第二幕僚長たる警備監 Dainibakuryōchō-taru-keibikan | 警備監 Keibikan | 警備監補 Keibikan-ho | 1等警備正 Ittō-keibisei | 2等警備正 Nitō-keibisei | 3等警備正 Santō-keibisei | 1等警備士 Ittō-keibishi | 2等警備士 Nitō-keibishi | 3等警備士 Santō-keibishi | |
| Self-Defense Forces 1954–1962 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Self-Defense Forces 1954–1962 | | 将 Shō | 将 Shō | 将補 Shō-ho | 1佐 Issa | 2佐 Nisa | 3佐 Sansa | 1尉 Ichi'i | 2尉 Ni'i | 3尉 San'i | |
| 1962–1970 | 幕僚長たる将 Bakuryōchō-taru-shō | 将 Shō | 将 Shō | 将補 Shō-ho | 1佐 Issa | 2佐 Nisa | 3佐 Sansa | 1尉 Ichi'i | 2尉 Ni'i | 3尉 San'i | |
| 1970–current | 幕僚長たる将 Bakuryōchō-taru-shō | 将 Shō | 将 Shō | 将補 Shō-ho | 1佐 Issa | 2佐 Nisa | 3佐 Sansa | 1尉 Ichi'i | 2尉 Ni'i | 3尉 San'i | 准尉 Jun'i |
| U.S. equivalent | 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 | NCO's | NCO's | NCO's | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| National Police Reserve 1950–1952 | | 1等警察士補 Ittō-keisatsushi-ho | 2等警察士補 Nitō-keisatsushi-ho | 3等警察士補 Santō-keisatsushi-ho | 警査長 Keisa-chō | 1等警査 Ittō-keisa | 2等警査 Nitō-keisa | |
| National Safety Force 1952–1954 | | 1等保安士補 Ittō-hoanshi-ho | 2等保安士補 Nitō-hoanshi-ho | 3等保安士補 Santō-hoanshi-ho | 保査長 Hosa-chō | 1等保査 Ittō-hosa | 2等保査 Nitō-hosa | |
| Coastal Safety Force 1952 | | 1等海上警備士補 Ittō-kaijōkeibishi-ho | 2等海上警備士補 Nitō-kaijōkeibishi-ho | 3等海上警備士補 Santō-kaijōkeibishi-ho | 海上警備員長 Kaijōkeibi'in-chō | 1等海上警備員 Ittō-kaijōkeibi'in | 2等海上警備員 Nitō-kaijōkeibi'in | 3等海上警備員 Santō-kaijōkeibi'in |
| Safety Security Force 1952–1954 | | 1等警備士補 Ittō-keibishi-ho | 2等警備士補 Nitō-keibishi-ho | 3等警備士補 Santō-keibishi-ho | 警査長 Keisa-chō | 1等警査 Ittō-keisa | 2等警査 Nitō-keisa | 3等警査 Santō-keisa |
| Self-Defense Forces 1954–1980 | | 1曹 Issō | 2曹 Nisō | 3曹 Sansō | 士長 Shichō | 1士 Isshi | 2士 Nishi | 3士 Sanshi |
| 1980–2010 | 曹長 Sōchō | 1曹 Issō | 2曹 Nisō | 3曹 Sansō | 士長 Shichō | 1士 Isshi | 2士 Nishi | 3士 Sanshi |
| 2010–current | 曹長 Sōchō | 1曹 Issō | 2曹 Nisō | 3曹 Sansō | 士長 Shichō | 1士 Isshi | 2士 Nishi | 自衛官候補生 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 |