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.^[1]

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			Field 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[2]
Insignia Type B
Insignia Miniature Type
U.S. equivalent[3]	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				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[2]
Insignia Type B
Insignia Miniature Type								No insignia
U.S. equivalent[3]	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			Senior 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[2][4]
Insignia Type B
Insignia Type C[2][4]
Insignia Miniature Type
U.S. equivalent[3]	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				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[2]
Insignia Type B
Insignia Type C								No insignia
Insignia Miniature Type								No insignia
U.S. equivalent[3]	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			Senior 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[2][5]
Insignia Type B
Insignia Miniature Type
U.S. equivalent[3]	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				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[2][5]
Insignia Type B
Insignia Miniature Type								No insignia
U.S. equivalent[3]	Senior master sergeant	Master sergeant	Technical sergeant	Staff sergeant	Senior Airman	Airman first class	Airman	Recruit

Timeline

Commissioned Officer Ranks

Other Ranks