1.
major (army/air force); lieutenant commander (navy)
A mid-level military officer rank. In the army and air force, equivalent to major; in the navy, equivalent to lieutenant commander. Ranks above captain (大尉) and below lieutenant colonel (中佐).
Usage
The lowest of three field-grade ranks marked with 佐, lowest to highest: 少佐, 中佐, 大佐. The English equivalent depends on the service: major in an army or air force, lieutenant commander in a navy.
Watch out
Japan's Self-Defense Forces do not use 少佐. Their equivalent rank is 三佐 (三等陸佐 and so on). 少佐 is used for foreign armed forces and for the prewar Japanese army and navy.