Misa Matsushima | |
|---|---|
 Misa Matsushima seated in F-15 in 2018 | |
| Native name | 松島美紗 |
| Born | 1991 or 1992 (age 31–32) |
| Service/ | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 5th Air Wing |
First Lieutenant Misa Matsushima (松島美紗, Matsushima Misa) (born 1991 or 1992 (age 31–32)[1]) is the first female fighter pilot in Japan.[2][3]
Matsushima graduated from the Japan National Defense Academy in March 2014 and obtained her pilot's license in October 2016.[4] Matsushima initially trained to be a transport and rescue pilot, but started training to be a fighter pilot after the Ministry of Defense opened the fighter pilot specialization to women candidates in 2015.[5] She received her fighter certification on August 23, 2018, and was assigned to 305th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's 5th Air Wing, headquartered at Nyutabaru Air Base, where she will fly the Mitsubishi F-15J.[6][7]
Japan has had female military aviators since Kazue Kashiji in 1997; Matsushima is the first to pilot a fighter type aircraft.[1][8]