Former Commander of Eastern Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Koichi Isobe is a Strategic Advisor to Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. He also serves as a lecturer to the Joint Staff College and the JGSDF Staff College. He served as a senior fellow at Harvard University Asia Center as well as Asia Pacific Initiative.

LTG Isobe retired from active duty in August 2015 after a thirty-five-year career in the Japan Self-Defense Force, having served in his last two years as Commanding General of the Eastern Army of the Ground SDF. Prior to this final appointment, he held several other senior positions in Japan’s defense institutions, such as Director of J-5, Joint Staff, Commanding General of 7th Armored Division, as well as Vice Chief of Joint Staff. LTG Isobe graduated from the National Defense Academy (with a major in International Relations) in 1980, and from the Command & General Staff College in 1989. He also obtained a Master of Arts in Military Studies from the Marine Corps University in 1996, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University in 2003.