What's new

First female Japanese Navy officers

I have to apologize, Buntaro, because it may appear I am attempting to upstage your post. That is not my intention, I hope you believe.

My intention is to point out that there seems to be either a slant to that Asahi Shimbun's piece about Captain Ohtani, or the reporter and/or the editor overseeing that reporter's work don't understand a basic point about military service.

Yes, they make the point right away in that article that it is an Aegis class destroyer, but when it comes to command duties, that is not that significant. A combat ship is a combat ship, whether it actually enters into combat or not.

Captain Ohtani has over 6 years of experience at commanding destroyers. The class of destroyer does not make any difference. A command is a command, period.

Why the Asahi devoted only one line in the next to the last paragraph to Capt. Ohtani having earlier command time strikes me as mighty strange.

Let's refer to Time's 2013 piece first:


Just one paragraph:

<=> <=> <=> Copy Starts <=> <=> <=>
The two female officers, Commander Miho Otani, 41, and Commander Ryoko Azuma, 39, took command of the JS Shimayuki and JS Setoyuki, respectively, on Friday. Both warships are used primarily for training purposes, so it’s unlikely they’ll be headed into combat soon.
<=> <=> <=> Copy Ends <=> <=> <=>

Then we'll go to the Japan Times on the command appointment in 2016:


Of course, we see the Japan Times staff using that 'first female skipper' stuff, as well.
 
Last edited:
The stress seems to be on *Aegis class* destroyer. Perhaps because it is regarded as a more sophisticated piece of military technology than "conventional” destroyers?
 
It’s a front line combat vessel with the most modern equipment. It is a significant step up. This officer undoubtably looks at it as a step forward in her career even though she has previously commanded both a training vessels and another destroyer. Only seven of the 40 Japanese destroyers in service are Aegis destroyers.

Think of it like going from head coach at Everton to head coach at Liverpool. Or EFL League One to EPL. you’re still the head coach of a professional football team, but it’s a big step nonetheless.
 
The article itself seems to have properly identified her as a previous commander of a training destroyer, and notes that she is the first commander of an AEGIS destroyer. Perhaps the article was corrected since you read it, or perhaps it got simplified upon being pasted into JREF. I see no reason to castigate the reporter or editor.
 
Let me please explain something to all you folks that may not have had a firearm of any size aimed at you in a manner meant to do you harm.

Combat is combat. Active/Reserve Duty on Active is a mental condition that many do not understand and do not properly appreciate.

No matter what the hardware, the command is the people. I don't care if you are commanding a tugboat in a combat zone, you have people that you are responsible for and that is the essence of command.

Let us take a task referred to as Guard Duty.

For some reason we have to instill in some active duty personnel the importance of understanding that even if they are only guarding a jeep (which I don't think the U.S. Forces have any more) but even a jeep could be the object of some really not nice other human that wants that jeep and may even be willing to kill for it. You're on guard duty, you could be killed. It don't matter if you have a 45 or an M16, it is the duty that is the key, not the firearm you have signed out for that duty.

You are a commander of people, not a commander of a piece of equipment. It is other humans, not pieces of metal, or plastic, or whatever a particular piece of equipment is made of.
 
I think you’re trying to say something about all combat being hazardous and that at some level it should all be recognized equally. Cool. Agreed.

That has nothing to do with pointing out that it’s considered a step up and responsibility to be appointed commander of a front line modern top and combat vessel as opposed to a secondary deprecated smaller less important combat vessel. More crew. More complex systems. Those almost-cruisers (they’re big for destroyers) are also outfitted as flotilla leaders which means likely broader responsibilities as well. I don’t know why you felt the need to go on a rant to attack a PR article that’s probably been generated to help offset Japan’s terrible image and gender equality. But I’m damn sure that the officer in question views their new appointment as a positive career move worthy of note.

Maybe you’re used to talking to a bunch of people who don’t know anything about military stuff and you think that you are in a position to lecture. It’s a bad habit. And it’s bad to assume that the people you’re talking to don’t have a military background as well. You sound like one of those guys who only wears camo+black American flag ball caps and wants to be thanked for their service every time they eat at Chili’s.
 
You, Psea206, are using some mighty interesting vocabulary up there. And making assumptions about who I am. That's also mighty interesting.

But you seemed to have missed the answer to the question you asked about why I posted in the first place.

But that might be because you got yourself all emotional and stuff and pulled some weird image out of your brain about some human wearing some sort of non-VFW garrison cap. That is the only kind of military associated piece of headgear I wear these days. Are you a member of the VFW?

Your answer, sir:

Why the Asahi devoted only one line in the next to the last paragraph to Capt. Ohtani having earlier command time strikes me as mighty strange.
 
Following up on the story of Japanese female navy officers:

japanese-female-submarine-officers.jpg


First female sub officers stand ready to serve at Kure MSDF base

Petty Officer 3rd Class Yumeka Taguchi along with four other trailblazers proudly saluted on Oct. 29 as the first female crew members certified to serve aboard a Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine. The five female officers, in their 20s to 40s, have completed their training at the Submarine Training Center at the MSDF Kure base here. “I am extremely happy, and we have been able to improve the environment in submarines as female crew members,” Taguchi, 23, told reporters. “I would like to play an active role with other women in society.”

Source: First female sub officers stand ready to serve at Kure MSDF base : The Asahi Shimbun
 
Back
Top Bottom