is a retired Japanese naval officer who served as Commander of the Self Defense Fleet of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 2012 to 2014, succeeding Katsutoshi Kawano and himself succeeded in 2014 by Eiichi Funada.

Career Matsushita was born in Osaka Prefecture in 1955. In March 1978, he graduated from the 22nd class of the National Defense Academy and joined the Maritime Self-Defense Force the same year, completing the 29th class of the Officer Candidate School.

In 1996, he became Commanding Officer of the destroyer Yūgumo. In 2001, he became Commander of the 3rd Escort Division, and in 2005, Commander of the 2nd Escort Flotilla. In 2006, he became Commander of the Training Squadron, and in 2007, Deputy Commandant of the Maritime Self-Defense Force Command and Staff College. In 2009, he became Chief of Staff of the Sasebo District, and later that year, Chief of Staff of the Self-Defense Fleet Command. In 2010, he became Commander of the Escort Fleet.

He became Commander of the Self-Defense Fleet in 2012.

In an interview given after his retirement, Matsushita discussed ballistic-missile-defense policy, recalling that during his time as fleet commander North Korea had generally pre-announced the timing and flight corridor of its "satellite launch" tests, whereas by 2016–17 it had begun launching missiles without warning, complicating Japan's ability to concentrate its defensive readiness.

He retired from the JMSDF in March 2014 and became an advisor in the Electronic Systems Division of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation the same year. In 2020, he became a director of the Suikōkai (水交会), a public-interest foundation for former JMSDF and Imperial Japanese Navy officers.

Awards

2nd Defensive Memorial Cordon

3rd Defensive Memorial Cordon

10th Defensive Memorial Cordon

11th Defensive Memorial Cordon

13th Defensive Memorial Cordon

18th Defensive Memorial Cordon

19th Defensive Memorial Cordon

20th Defensive Memorial Cordon

21st Defensive Memorial Cordon

22nd Defensive Memorial Cordon

26th Defensive Memorial Cordon

32nd Defensive Memorial Cordon

33rd Defensive Memorial Cordon

36th Defensive Memorial Cordon

41st Defensive Memorial Cordon

Notes

See also Japanese military ranks Self Defense Fleet

References