50 Years On: Female MSDF Vice Adm. Who Broke thru Glass Ceiling

By Masashi Nakatsukasa

Mutsu, Aomori Pref., March 5 (Jiji Press)--In December 2023, Natsue Kondo became the first woman promoted to top leadership at any of the three branches of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

More than a year on, Maritime SDF Vice Adm. Kondo, 59, remains the only female SDF officer holding any of the top ranks--admiral and vice admiral at the MSDF, and general and lieutenant general for the Ground and Air SDF.

Kondo commands the MSDF's Ominato District, based in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan. This group is tasked with protecting maritime security in areas north of Aomori, including the Tsugaru and Soya straits, keeping an eye on the Russian and Chinese militaries.

Speaking in a recent interview ahead of the 50th anniversary of International Women's Day on Saturday, Kondo said, "I was initially planning to be a high school teacher."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]