A Message from the Commandant

It is getting warmer and we feel the season of spring, and I am glad to find all of you in good and fine.

Spring is called the season of the graduation, and in March, 51 students of the #15 Joint Advance Course graduated their course and they returned to each staff office or major commands. I hope they will do their best inn their new position.
　And on 11th March, 48 students who have completed their 6 month-course in each staff college entered the Joint Staff College as the #15 Joint Advance Course students. They will learn "Joint" in this college for about 5 months till 31st July including domestic and overseas study trip.
　Both details of the ceremonies are introduced on the other page of this site, so please visit that page as well.

　About 8 years have passed since the joint operation of the SDF was regularly started. Now that "Joint" is not just "mind" or "spirit", but the basement of operations considering recent international disaster relief and so on.
　In the educational side, students, as a senior officer must learn "Joint" in this JSC though there is a difference of the term of the program.
　In other words, they, Joint Advance Course students who enter the JSC study "Joint" as an introduction for about 6 weeks in the JSC, and are taught respective color (GSDF, MSDF, ASDF) studies for about 4 months in each staff college, then will be back to the JSC. This is current cycle of the education of "Joint". We could imagine how "Joint" is treated as an important one.

Spring is almost there, and season of cherry blossom will come, I hope you will take good care of yourself.

Toshiyuki Ito
Vice Admiral, JMSDF
Commandant, Joint Staff College
Ministry of Defense