Japan Military Information

Insignia-----Uniform
The Japanese High Command	CIC was the Emperor. Providing council was the Supreme Military Council and the Board of Marshals and Admirals. Help to the Emperor was provided by the Aides-de-Camp. In the line down from the Emperor was Imperial HQ. Imperial HQ controlled the following organizations: Chief of Army General Staff Minister of War Inspector General of Military Training Inspector General of Army Aviation Chief of Navy General Staff Minister of Navy All these last organizations were equal on the organization charts. The Japanese Army was organized into Groups, Areas, Armies, and forces with special missions which initially did not come under the command of any army. Japan did not use the term Army Corps. A Japanese Army was the equivalent of an American or British Corps and normally had between 50,000 and 150,000 men assigned. For example, the Japanese 18th Army located in the Southwest Pacific in April 1943 had 130,000 men assigned. Within that Army was the following: Three Divisions plus small elements of a fourth. One independent mixed brigade. Two infantry mortar battalions. Four independent filed anti-aircraft companies. Six independent field searchlight companies. Six field anti-aircraft battalions. Two field machine cannon companies. One independent antitank gun battalion. One engineer group. Seven independent engineer regiments. One independent engineer company. Two field road constructions units. One filed airfield construction unit. Three field duty units. Three shipping engineer regiments. One field motor transport depot. Two field transport commands. One independent transport regiment. Three independent mortar transport battalions. Six independent motor transport companies. One signal unit. Two fixed radio units. Five line of communication hospitals. One water purifying unit. Two debarkation units. Two anchorages. Two construction duty companies. Three land duty companies. Five sea duty companies. One water transport unit. Five airfield battalions. Three Airfield companies. Two base forces (Naval troops). One field freight depot. One field ordnance depot. One line of communication garrison unit.
Division HQ	Commanded by a lieutenant general. Divided into two sections, Administration Staff and General Staff. 300 Officers and enlisted men assigned.
Infantry Division	Commanded by a major general. In strengthened divisions, tankette companies were assigned. Each tankette company had 80 - 100 men along with 10 - 17 tankettes. Their primary use was reconnaissance and front line transport. Further included was 20 light and 48 medium tanks. 80 trucks were included in the train.
Armored Divisions	Four tank regiments and one recon regiment. 13,000 personnel and equipped with 1,400 tracked, 800 wheeled vehicles. Anti-tank support included eighteen 47 mm cannon and sixteen 20 mm AA/AT guns.
Cavalry Regiment	Commanded by a colonel. Anti-tank support for the unit was four 20 mm anti-tank rifles and two 37 mm cannon. A variant called for six anti-tank rifles and no 37 mm cannon.
Reconnaissance Regiment	Commanded by a colonel. This unit was largely motorized but included horse units. Normally 188 horse were assigned. The unit included motorized (by truck) infantry, 7 light armored cars or tankettes. Other vehicles totaled up to 61 of various types and use. For anti-tank support there was four 37 mm guns.
Cavalry Brigade Tank Unit	Included 2 companies of light tanks. Each company had 3 platoons. 10 tanks per platoon. 80 trucks and 6 reserve tanks were also added.
Independent Mixed Brigade Tank Unit	Three light tank companies. One medium tank company. one light armored car company. A total of 20 medium, 65 light tanks and 25 armored cars. 970 men.
Cavalry Brigade Anti Tank Unit	Three firing platoons each of two 37 or 47 mm cannon plus an ammunition platoon. Total strength was 140 officers and enlisted.
Tank Regiment	800 to 850 men assigned. 85 to 95 light and medium tanks.
Infantry Regiment	Commanded by a colonel. The regimental anti-tank company's total strength was 115 officers and enlisted divided into administration, observation, two firing platoons, and one ammunition platoon. Four 37 mm cannon were assigned. A variant was to have the anti-tank company merged with the infantry gun company. In this case the company had two anti-tank guns and two regimental guns assigned. A strengthened anti-tank company had 130 officers and enlisted and had three firing platoons and six anti-tank cannon.
Infantry Battalion	Commanded by a major. Strengthened battalions would have four 37 mm anti-tank guns along with eight 20 mm anti-tank rifles included.
Battalion Gun Company	Commanded by a captain or a first lieutenant. Strengthened units Included four platoons (96 men) of 20 mm anti-tank rifles. Each platoon had two rifles.
Airborne (Parachute) Battalion	Total strength was 600 to 700 officers and enlisted. This included an anti-tank squad (mines, grenades) and an anti-tank gun section. This section's weapon depended upon transportation space.
Independent Anti Tank Battalion	500 officers and enlisted assigned. Usually this unit was motorized. Eighteen 37 or 47 mm cannon and 67 vehicles.
Infantry Rifle Company	Commanded by a captain. Strengthened units would included a heavy weapons section. The section included two 11 man 20 mm anti-tank rifle squads. Each squad had one anti-tank rifle assigned.
Independent Anti Tank Company	250 officers and enlisted assigned. Eight 37 mm cannon. Usually horse drawn. A motorized unit would have 180 - 200 officers and enlisted personnel. Eight 37 or 47 mm cannon would be assigned.
Independent Tank Company	Usually a detachment from a regiment. Consisted of either light or medium tanks.
Independent Armored Car or Tankette Company	130 officers and enlisted. 17 tankettes or armored cars divided into 4 platoons.
Armored Train Unit	500 officers and enlisted.

*Tanks and Anti-Tank units in operation.*
Japanese general practice and notes: 1. Attack: When available, tanks were brought up with secrecy to assault positions. They were then attached to front line battalions and jumped off at the same time as infantry. Infantry was warned not to stop if tanks are destroyed but to continue to advance. Tank missions were the breaching of enemy wire and the destruction of hostile elements. 2. Pursuit: Tanks are sent in to block the enemy's retreat. 3. Defense: Anti-tank cannon units were placed in forward positions and carefully sighted and hidden. If time permitted and the base's defense was well established, anti-tank obstacles and ditches were used also. Pressure sensitive mines covered suspected paths. Specially trained personnel called anti-tank squads or tank fighters would use magnetic mines and attach them to enemy tanks. The use of mines would either require manual attachment or the use of ropes to draw the mine across the path of the tank. Squads would climb upon the enemy tank and destroy the guns with hammer and picks. Smoke grenades were used. Vision slits and openings would be attacked. Wooden poles and metal spikes were driven between the spokes of the wheels. If the attack was at night, available 20 mm guns were located forward of 37 or 47 mm cannons. Friendly tanks were employed only if necessary. Japan considered their tanks were best used against enemy infantry and not against enemy tanks. Bullet splash technique was employed by machine guns and rifles at short range. At least one squad would attack each enemy tank. Defensive combat was distasteful and little is written in their manuals to cover it. Their 1938 manual on Combat Regulations referred to it as "active defense" and all efforts were made to renew an offensive. The Japanese did form strong points, fortresses, and bases. However, with the exception of fortresses, these spots were considered temporary. These points did have strong anti-tank emplacements. 4. Withdrawal: Withdrawal was considered justified only when executed as an order from the High Command. Withdrawal was unconsidered in the face of the enemy. 5. Mechanized forces: The value of mechanization was fully appreciated by the Japanese Army. After a run in with the Soviet Union in what became known as the Manchurian Incident, Japan greatly improved their armor and it's employment. Though inferior to most western powers, mechanized units operating in China were employed with success. Mechanized units were well trained in pursuit and exploitation. Tactics called for envelopment using night marches, assembly in darkness, and an attack at dawn. Mechanized units avoided going into a defensive mode as it nullified the unit's power... mobility. Armor units acquired considerable battlefield experience in small scale tank actions and were not to be taken lightly.

1st. Tank Group (Division) Nickname: "Taku" (Development)	Formed in December 1941 in Manchuria. Renamed a Division in June 1942. This unit operated in Manchuria until the final days of the war in which it was transferred to mainland Japan.
2nd. Tank Group (Division) Nickname: "Geki" (Hit)	Formed in December 1941 in Manchuria. Renamed a Division in June 1942. Moved to the Philippines in 1944 and was destroyed as an effective unit in March 1945 by the Americans.
3rd. Tank Division Nickname: "Taki" (Water Fall)	Formed in June 1942 in Mongolia. Ended the war in China.
4th. Tank Division Nickname: "Hagane" (Steel)	Formed in July 1943 in Japan directly from tank school and operated much like the German Panzer Lehr Division. Ended the war in Japan - never saw combat.


Last Update: Thursday, February 13, 2003