Hiroyuki Kasui

is a retired Japanese naval officer who served as Commander of the Self Defense Fleet of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 2019 to 2020. He was the 50th Commander of the Self-Defense Fleet, succeeding Kazuki Yamashita, and was himself succeeded in 2020 by Hideki Yuasa.

Career Kasui was born in Aichi Prefecture. In March 1985, he graduated from the 29th class of the National Defense Academy, where he studied mechanical engineering, and joined the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

In January 1996, he was promoted to lieutenant (3rd class kaisa).

In July 1999, he was promoted to lieutenant commander (2nd class kaisa).

On 1 August 2001, he became Commanding Officer of the destroyer Chikuma.

On 6 August 2002, he was posted to the Equipment System Division, Defense Department, Maritime Staff Office.

On 1 January 2004, he was promoted to commander (1st class kaisa).

On 1 August 2005, he became group leader of the Business Planning Group in the Defense Division, Defense Department, Maritime Staff Office, while concurrently serving at the Maritime Self-Defense Force Command and Staff College.

On 1 October 2007, he became Commander of the 7th Escort Division.

On 26 March 2008, he became Commander of the 4th Escort Division; on 1 December of the same year, he became Deputy Chief of the Appointments Section, Personnel and Education Department, Maritime Staff Office.

On 26 July 2010, he was promoted to rear admiral (kaisho-ho). On 20 August, he became Commander of the 1st Escort Flotilla. During his tenure, he served as officiating commander of the first-ever joint Japan-India naval exercise. He also served as training controller for a joint Japan-Russia search-and-rescue exercise in September 2011, receiving vessels of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet at Wakasa Bay.

He retired from the JMSDF on 25 August 2020.

On 2 July 2021, he was awarded the Legion of Merit by the United States government.

Awards