Manki Yamashita

is a retired Japanese naval officer who served as Commander of the Self Defense Fleet of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 2016 to 2019. He was the 49th Commander of the Self-Defense Fleet, succeeding Yasuhiro Shigeoka, and was himself succeeded in 2019 by Hiroyuki Kasui.

Career Yamashita was born in Kumamoto Prefecture on 2 August 1960. In March 1983, he graduated from the 27th class of the National Defense Academy, where he studied electrical engineering, and joined the Maritime Self-Defense Force. He completed the Maritime Self-Defense Force Officer Candidate School in March 1984. His first seagoing posting, from November 1984, was as a junior officer aboard the destroyer Kurama, the first in a long series of shipboard postings.

On 20 August 2010, he became Chief of Staff of the Fleet Submarine Force.

On 5 August 2011, he became Director of the Training Department at the National Defense Academy.

On 26 July 2012, he became Director of the Defense Department, Maritime Staff Office.

On 5 August 2014, he was promoted to admiral (kaisho) and became Commandant of the Maritime Self-Defense Force Command and Staff College.

On 4 August 2015, he became the 42nd Commander of the Sasebo District.

On 22 December 2016, he was appointed the 49th Commander of the Self-Defense Fleet, following cabinet approval of the appointment on 20 December.

Awards