Senkaku Islands dispute
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. 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).