Dr Keizo Kitagawa
RUSI Associate Fellow
Associated with the International Security Research Group
Biography
Dr Keizo Kitagawa is Head and Chief Strategist of K2 Connect International and an independent consultant. He is also a Senior Research Fellow of YCAPS (Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies).
His expertise encompasses maritime security and strategy, Japanese national security, Japanese defence policy; Japan-US and Japan-UK relations, Indo-Pacific security, military operations, military equipment, and military higher education. He is a frequent contributor to academic journals and edited volumes. His book Intellectual innovation in Military Organizations: The Creative Power of Doctrine and Operational Art was published by Keiso Shobo in 2020.
He served as a naval officer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) for 31 years and retired as a Captain in December 2024. His last position was as Dean of the Strategic Studies Department, JMSDF Command and Staff College in Tokyo. As a surface warfare officer, his first command was of JS Matsuyuki (2010–2011). During his time as commander, Escort Division Two (2019–2021), he was the JMSDF Task Group Commander for RIMPAC 2020 and Pacific Vanguard 2020.
Dr Kitagawa has taught at the JMSDF Officer Candidate School; served in policy, strategy, and evaluations positions in the Maritime Staff Office (MSO); and was the first Director of the Naval Strategy Office, MSO located in the Ministry of Defence. He has served overseas as staff officer of Escort Flotilla Three in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2002), served with UNDOF in Syria (2003–2004) and oversaw counter piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. Whilst stationed in Djibouti (2009–2010), he coordinated to establish Japan’s first overseas operational station since the end of the Second World War. From 2013 to 2016, he served as the Defence Attaché to the United Kingdom in London.
Dr Kitagawa holds a PhD in Policy and Media from Keio University. He earned a master’s in security studies from the National Defence Academy of Japan and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy (BS), class of 1993.