Yoji Koda (1949–) is a retired vice admiral of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and a specialist in national security. A graduate of Japan’s National Defense Academy, he also completed the Naval Command College course at the U.S. Naval War College. His senior appointments included commander of the Fleet Escort Force, director general of the Joint Staff Council Secretariat, commandant of the Sasebo District, and commander in chief of the Self-Defense Fleet. After retiring in 2008, he served as a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center, where he studied Chinese maritime strategy. In “Boeisho ni Tsugu: Moto Jieitai Genba Toppu ga Akasu Boei Gyosei no Shittai” (“A Warning to the Ministry of Defense: A Former Operational Commander Exposes Failures in Defense Administration”), he examines weapons procurement, defense spending, organizational management, and communication with political leaders, identifying gaps between operational requirements and administrative decision-making.
