The mission of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Officer Candidate School is to provide students the basic knowledge and technical skills necessary for entry-level officers, offering education that focuses on fostering seamanship and leadership. At Etajima, which Maritime Self-Defense Force officers consider their “home away from home,” all officers acquire specialized knowledge and capacities necessary for seamen, as well as an international outlook, language skills, and flexibility for coping with the ever-changing ocean.