General Shinichi Aoki was appointed because the successor to General Yuichi Sakamoto, commander of the eighth Division, who died in an accident wherein a Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter disappeared close to Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture. I need to do my finest in 2019,” he mentioned of his ambition.
On the sixth of this month, in an accident wherein a Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter disappeared close to Miyako Island, 10 members of the crew, together with General Yuichi Sakamoto (55), the commander of the eighth Division on the time, went lacking. One of the 5 individuals who have been confirmed useless has been recognized as General Sakamoto.
On the twenty second, on the Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Kita-Kumamoto in Kita Ward, Kumamoto City, a ceremony was held for General Shinichi Aoki, who took over as commander of the eighth Division on the twenty first, succeeding General Sakamoto.
Division Commander Aoki is 57 years previous from Miyazaki Prefecture.
After graduating from the National Defense Academy, he joined the Ground Self-Defense Force in 1988 and held positions akin to Deputy Chief of Staff of the Western Area Headquarters and Commander of the eleventh Brigade.
At the arrival ceremony, Division Commander Aoki mentioned, “The death of five people, including Lieutenant General Sakamoto, is extremely regrettable.” The function of the Ground Self-Defense Force, akin to responding to pure disasters, is rising.
At the press convention after the arrival ceremony, Division Commander Aoki seemed again on Lieutenant General Sakamoto, saying, “He was an extremely honest and serious person, had a strong sense of responsibility, and was a wonderful SDF officer who steadily pushed things forward.”
After that, he mentioned, “I will do my best to rebuild the system, and I will do my best to carry on the will of General Sakamoto.”