National Defense Academy of Japan
防衛大学校 | |
Main building of the NDAJ | |
Type | Four-year university-level military academy |
---|---|
Established | 1953 |
Students | Future Officers in three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces |
Undergraduates | Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation |
Postgraduates | Yes, see above |
Yes, see above | |
Location | Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan |
Affiliations | Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology |
Website | National Defense Academy of Japan Webpage |
National Defense Academy of Japan (防衛大学校 Bōei Daigakkō), abbreviated NDA (防大 Bōdai) is the national, four-year university-level military academy aimed to educate and train students who will be serving as officers in the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. It is located in Yokosuka, Kanagawa on the grounds close to the former Imperial Japanese Army Academy.
History
The National Defense Academy of Japan was opened in 1952 as National Safety Academy (保安大学校), and was renamed "National Defense Academy" in 1954, when the incipient Japanese military was renamed from "National Safety Forces" (保安隊)to "Self-Defense Forces" (自衛隊). In contrast to the prewar period, when the Imperial Navy and Army had separate academies (Imperial Japanese Army Academy and Imperial Japanese Navy Academy, the National Safety Academy (later the National Defense Academy) was established as a unified institution in order to mitigate the effects of sectionalism and inter-service rivalry. The Academy matriculated its first female student in 1992.
Selection
Its main course students are selected from applicants and typically are recent graduates from Japanese civilian senior high schools who have completed twelve years of formal schooling. They are paid a salary as employees of the Ministry of Defense.
After graduation they are posted to the Officer Candidate Schools in one of three forces, conduct training alongside civilian university graduates and internal promotees before being posted as officers.
Postgraduate
The academy also conducts master's and doctoral level courses for students who are endorsed by their supervisors at their respective serving forces.
Affiliation
The National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, an affiliate of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has recognised the courses and awards the graduates degrees on request. As the Academy is not an MEXT-recognised university it cannot offer its own degrees.
List of Presidents
- Tomoō Maki (1952.8.19 - 1965.1.16)
- Hiroshi Omori (1965.1.16 - 1970.7.1)
- Masamichi Inoki (1970.7.16 - 1978.7.15)
- Kuniyasu Tsuchida (1978.9.29 - 1987.3.24)
- Haruo Natsume (1987.3.24 - 1993.9.30)
- Saburō Matsumoto (1993.10.1 - 2000.3.31)
- Masashi Nishihara (2000.4.1 - 2006.3.31)
- Makoto Iokibe (2006.8.1 - 2012.3.31)
- Ryosei Kokubun (2012.4.1. - present)
Notable alumni
- Yoshifumi Hibako, chief of staff, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
- Yuji Fujinawa, chief of staff, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
- Toshio Tamogami, chief of staff, Japan Air Self-Defense Force
- Satoshi Morimoto, scholar
- Gen Nakatani, Minister of State for Defense in the first cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.
- Yoshihiro Murai, governor of Miyagi Prefecture
- Masahisa Sato, member of the House of Councillors
- Takashi Uto, member of the House of Councillors
- Kimiya Yui, astronaut
Notable faculty
- Condoleezza Rice had a three-week visiting professorship at the NDAJ in 1984, where she "had a hard time adjusting to the rigid hierarchy," according to her 2010 memoirs, Extraordinary, Ordinary People.
See also
- Military academy
- National Defense Medical College
- International Peace Cooperation Activities Training Unit
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Defense Academy of Japan. |
Coordinates: 35°15′27.6″N 139°43′19.1″E / 35.257667°N 139.721972°E