Keizō Hayashi | |
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![]() Hayashi as Chairman of the Joint Staff Council in 1954
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Native name | 林 敬三 |
Born |
Ishikawa, Japan |
8 January 1907
Died | 12 November 1991 Tokyo, Japan |
(aged 84)
Allegiance |
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Service/branch |
National Police Reserve National Safety Force Japan Ground Self-Defense Force |
Years of service | 1950–1964 |
Rank | |
Awards |
Annex: Major experience | |
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Keizō Hayashi (林 敬三 Hayashi Keizō?, 8 January 1907 – 12 November 1991) was a Japanese civil servant, general officer and the first Chairman of Joint Staff Council (JSC), a post equivalent to Chief of the General Staff in other countries, from 1954 to 1964. He was instrumental in founding the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) after the Second World War in 1954.
Hayashi began his civil service career in the Home Ministry in 1929. In post-war Japan, he became Governor of Tottori Prefecture from 1945 to 1947 and Director of the Bureau of Local Affairs from 1947 until the Home Ministry was disbanded in the same year. After that, he was appointed Vice-Minister of Imperial Household from 1948 to 1950, during which he became a confidant of Emperor Showa.
After the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Hayashi, who did not have prewar military background, was chosen by Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, with the endorsement of the American occupation authority, to head the newly formed National Police Reserve (NPR) in the capacity as Superintendent-General. Since Japan had been demilitarized after the Second World War, one of his major tasks was to build up the NPR as the foundation of Japan's self-defense power in post-war era. He was also responsible for developing a new mind-set for the NPR so as to adapt to post-war changes. When the NPR was restructured as the National Safety Force (NSF) in 1952, he was appointed Chief of the 1st (Ground) Staff of the First Staff Office, which was the top decision making body of the NSF.