Admiral Takashi Saito was appointed Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff of the Ministry of Defense in August 2006. Graduating the National Defense Academy in 1970, he joined the Self Defense Forces as Ensign. He was promoted to the rank of Admiral in 2005, and thus far in his career, Admiral Saito has served as Director of the Operations and Plans Department, Commandant of the Maizuru and Yokosuka Districts, and as Chief of Staff of the Marine Self Defense Forces.