Kōichi Isobe

Kōichi Isobe (磯部晃一) is the 7th and current Vice Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Council of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. He is a Lieutenant General in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Isobe has spent a significant amount of time in the United States, having studied at both the Marine Corps Command and Staff College (in 1995) and the National War College (in 2002). From 2007 to 2009, he served as the Deputy Commander of the elite JGSDF Central Readiness Force. From 2009 to 2011, he served as the Director of Plans on the Joint Staff Council. From 2011 to 2012, he served as the Commander of the JGSDF 7th Division. On July 26, 2012, Isobe became the Vice Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Council, serving directly under Chief of Staff Shigeru Iwasaki.