Rear Admiral Ryoko Azuma (東 良子) (born December 10, 1973) is the first woman to become the chief of a warship unit in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

She was also a member of the first female class at the National Defense Academy of Japan.

[3] In 2014 Azuma became the first female captain to conduct a deep sea navigation training.

[5][6] The squadron is made up of four warships and the helicopter carrier JS Izumo.

[7] On August 5, 2018, she took command of a mission to deal with the pirates in the Gulf of Aden in Somalia.