Independent Mixed Brigades (Imperial Japanese Army)

Between 1937 and 1945 the Japanese Imperial Army formed 126 Independent Mixed Brigades (numbered 1–136 with some gaps), typically composed of various units detached from other formations. Some were composed of separate, independent assets (usually Independent Infantry Battalions). These brigades were task organized under unified command and were normally used in support roles, as security, force protection, POW and internment camp guards and labor in occupied territories. An Independent Mixed Brigade had between 5,000 and 11,000 troops.[1]

Independent Mixed Brigades 独立混成旅団
Active	1937–1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Branch	Japanese Imperial Army
Type	Mixed Brigade
Role	Occupation forces
Size	5,000 to 11,000 troops
Engagements	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II

History

The first two of these Independent Mixed Brigades formed by the Kwangtung Army in the 1930s were the IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade and the IJA 11th Independent Mixed Brigade. Each of these brigades was organized in a unique manner; the 1st was disbanded in 1937 while the 11th was formed into the IJA 26th Division in 1938.

Later a series of Independent Mixed Brigades were formed for the purpose of garrisoning the large territories of China captured in the early phase of the Second Sino-Japanese War.[1] This variety for China was usually organized with five infantry battalions, an artillery unit, and labor troops. In the Pacific theater they had different and more varied configurations of subordinate units.

The Hong Kong Defence Force, which was established in 1942 to occupy Hong Kong, was equivalent to an Independent Mixed Brigade.[2]

List of Independent Mixed Brigades

Kwangtung Army

• IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade (posted at Chichi-jima)
• IJA 11th Independent Mixed Brigade (became 26th division)

Brigades formed for the Second Sino-Japanese War and Pacific War

Number	Timeline	Notes
1	Taiyuan, 1937 – Iwo Jima, 1944	-
2	Iwo Jima, 1944	split from 109th division
3	North China, 1941–1945, 1st army	-
4	Taiyuan, 1943	became 62nd division
5	Shandong, 1939–1941, 12th army	-
6	Taiyuan, 1941–1943, 12th army	became 62nd division
7	1941, 12th army – 1944, Henan	became 115th division
8	North China, 1941 – Chengde, 1945	-
9	North China, 1941	-
10	Jinan, 1941, 12th army	-
11	Taiyuan, 1937; Battle of West Henan–North Hubei, 1945	2 separate units, formed in 1937 and 1939
12	Taiyuan, 1937,[3] Chuzhou, 1939	-
13	Lu'an, 1943	became 65th division
14	Jiangxi, 1942	became 68th division
15	Taiyuan, 1937[3]	-
16	Linfen, 1942	became 69th division
17	1941, 13th army – 1945, 6th area army	-
18	Dangyang, 1940	-
19	Guangzhou, 1941, 23rd army	became 129th and 130th divisions
20	Ningbo, 1942	became 70th division
21	French Indochina, 1941	detached from 104th division
22	Guangzhou, 1941, 23rd army	-
23	1945, 23rd army	-
24	Myitkyina, 1944	-
25	Sumatra, January 1944, 25th army[4]	-
26	south Sumatra, January 1944, 25th army – Singapore, May 1945[5]	-
27	Jakarta, 1944, 16th army	Taiwan mixed brigade
28	eastern Java, 1944, 16th army[6]	-
29	Bangkok, December 1943 – Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, August 1944[7]	-
30	Shanghai, 1943 – Mindanao, 1944[8]	became 100th division
31	Bohol, June 1944[9]	became 102nd division
32	Baguio, July 1943[10]	became 103rd division
33	Luzon, 1944[11]	became 105th division
34	Nanjing, 1943 – Saigon, 1944[12]	-
35	Tokyo, 1944 – Andaman Islands, 1945, 29th army	do not confuse with Kawaguchi Detachment
36	Tokyo, 1944 – Nicobar Islands, 1945, 29th army	-
37	Osaka, 1944 – Malaysia, 1945, 29th army	-
38	Bouganville, 1944	-
39	Solomon Islands, 1944 – 1945, 41st Army	-
40	Solomon Islands, 1944	-
43	Iturup, 1945	became 89th division
44	Okinawa, 1945	-
45	Okinawa, 1945	-
46	Taipei, 1944	became 66th division
47	Saipan, 1944	-
48	Guam, As Sombreru Pillboxes, 1944	-
49	Palau minor islands, Yap and Fais Island, May 1944	-
50	Woleai	-
51	Chuuk Lagoon, Mortlock Islands	-
52	Ponape Island, May 1944	-
53	Palau Islands	-
54	Leyte, 1944, 14th area army	-
55	Leyte, 1944, 14th area army	-
56	Borneo, 1944	-
57	Jolo, 1944[13]	-
58	Luzon, 1944, 14th area army	split from 47th division
59	Okinawa, 1945	-
60	Mudanjiang, August 1944 – Miyako-jima, September 1944[14]	-
61	China, 1944 – Taiwan, August 1944[15] – Luzon, 1944, 14th area army – July 1945, Babuyan Islands, 10th area army[16]	-
62	Fuzhou, 1944[17]	-
64	Yamaguchi, 1944 – Amami Ōshima, 1945[18]	-
65	Hiroshima, 1941 – Guadalcanal, 1942 – Rabaul, 1944[19]	-
66	1945, 6th army – August 1945, Nii-jima, 12th area army	-
67	August 1945, Hachijō-jima, 12th area army	-
68	Keelung, July 1944 – Leyte, December 1944[20]	-
69	Hokkaido, 1945	became 89th division
70	Saigon, December 1944 – Malaysia, 1945, 29th army[21]
71	Kota Kinabalu, May 1944 – Kuching, February 1945[22]	-
72	Thanbyuzayat, 1944[23]	-
73	Sunwu County, October 1944	became 123rd division
75	Hengchun, 26 October 1944[24][25] – Penghu, January 1945, 40th army – Hsinchu, June 1945[26]	forced beaching at Hengchun
76	Keelung, January 1945, 10th area army[27]	-
77	Taiwan, 1944[24]	became 135th division
78	Jiamusi, July 1945	became 134th division
79	Mudanjiang, March 1945, 3rd area army[28]	-
80	Hailar, April 1945 – Jalainur, August 1945, 4th army[29]	-
81	Xiangtan, March 1945, 20th army[30]	-
82	Zhuzhou, March 1945, 20th army[31]	-
83	Hankou, March 1945, 6th area army[32]	-
84	Jiujiang, March 1945, 6th area army[33]	-
85	Yingcheng, March 1945, 6th area army[34]	-
86	Xiangxi, April 1945, 20th army[35]	-
87	Hengyang, April 1945, 20th army[36]	-
88	Guangxi, April 1945, 11th army[37]	-
89	Jinhua, August 1944 – Fenghua, August 1945, 6th army	split from 60th division[38]
90	Yangzhou, February 1945, 10th army[39] or 13th army[40]	contradictory data
91	Ningbo, February 1944, 6th army[41]	-
92	Datong, February 1945, 13th army – Xuzhou, August 1945[42]	-
95	Hachinohe, 1945, 50th army	-
96	6 February 1945, Tokyo – August 1945, Tateyama, Army of Tokyo Bay	-
97	Fujieda, Shizuoka, 1945, 54th army	-
98	Koyama, 1945, 57th army	-
100	Kaohsiung, 1945, 10th area army[43]	-
101	Shibetsu, February 1945 – Hayakita, Hokkaido, 7 May 1945, 5th area army[44]	assigned to 77th division, 11 February 1945[45]
102	Hualien, February 1945, 10th area army[46]	split from 66th division
103	Kaohsiung, February 1945, 10th area army – Taipei, May 1945[47]	-
105	Yangon, February 1945[48]	-
107	Gotō, Nagasaki, 1945, 16th area army	-
108	Jejudo, April 1945, 58th army[49]	-
109	Tanegashima, 1945, 57th army[50]	-
112	Yilan, April 1945, 10th area army[51]	-
113	Iwaki, 1945, 11th area army	-
114	23 May 1945, Nagano- August 1945, Yokosuka, Army of Tokyo Bay	-
115	Shibasaki, 1945, 51st army	-
116	Hokota, 1945, 51st army	-
117	Numazu, Shizuoka, 1945, 53rd army	-
118	Saiki, Ōita, 1945, 16th area army	-
119	Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 1945, 54th army	-
120	Shimizu, Shizuoka, 1945, 54th army	-
121	Gobō, Wakayama, 1945, 15th area army – Tokushima, August 1945, 55th Army	replaced by 123rd Independent Mixed Brigade in Gobō
122	Nagasaki, 1945, 16th area army	-
123	Gobō, Wakayama, 23 May 1945, 15th area army[52]	-
124	Shimonoseki, 1945, 59th army	-
125	Ibusuki, Kagoshima, May 1945, 40th army	-
126	Amakusa, 1945, 16th area army	-
127	Busan, May 1945 – Ulsan, August 1945[53]	-
128	north-east Halmahera, May 1945[54]	-
129	Urup, 1945[55]	split from 42nd division
130	Liaoning, July 1945, 3rd area army[56]	-
131	Harbin, July 1945, 4th army[57]	-
132	Dongning, July 1945, 3rd army[58]	assigned to 128th division, August 1945
133	Siping, July 1945, 34th army[59]	-
134	Jinzhou, July 1945, 3rd area army[60] – Linjiang, August 1945	assigned to 125th division[61]
135	Aihui, July 1945, 4th army[62]	-
136	Nencheng, July 1945 – Qiqihar, August 1945, 4th army[63]	-

• (list is believed to be complete)

8

7

5
6

4

3

2

1

4

1GD
2GD
3GD

354

344

322

321

316

312

308

303

234

231

230

229

225
355

224

222

221

216

214

212

209

206

202

201

157

156

155

154

153

152

151

150

147

146

145

144

143

142

140

93

89

86

84

81

77

73

72

57
351

44

42

28

25

11
205

7

64

66

67

95

96

97

98

101

107

109

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

Independent Mixed Brigade

Infantry Division (including guard divisions)

Independent Armored Brigade

Armored division

Japanese infantry and armored units in Home Islands, 15 August 1945

See also

• List of Japanese Infantry divisions
• List of IJA Mixed Brigades

Bibliography

• Victor Madej: Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945. Game Publishing, 1981, OCLC 833591372, OCLC 833591376.
• Philip Jowett: The Japanese Army 1931–45 (1) Osprey Publishing, 2002, ISBN 978-1-8417-6353-8
• Gordon Rottman: Japanese Army in World War II, Conquest of the Pacific Osprey Publishing, 2005, ISBN 978-1-8417-6789-5
• Gordon Rottman: Japanese Army in World War II, The South Pacific and New Guinea, 1942–43 Osprey Publishing, 2005, ISBN 978-1-8417-6870-0

References

1. Rottman Japanese Army in World War II, The South Pacific and New Guinea, p. 18
2. Ness, Leland (2015). Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937–1945: Volume 1: Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces. Helion. p. 178. ISBN 9781912174577.
3. "Japanese Forces Battle of Taiyan September through November 1937" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
4. 25th Independent Mixed Brigade (Ban)
5. 26th Independent Mixed Brigade (Gaku)
6. 28th Independent Mixed Brigade (Kei)
7. 29th Independent Mixed Brigade (Tai)
8. IJA Landing Craft Depot Ship SHINSHU MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
9. IJN LST T.101: Tabular Record of Movement
10. 103rd Division (Shun)
11. IJN TEIA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
12. 34th Independent Mixed Brigade (Iku)
13. IJA Transport MEXICO MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
14. 60th Independent Mixed Brigade (Koma)
15. KENJO MARU Tabular Record of Movement
16. 61st Independent Mixed Brigade (Yoroi)
17. RISING STORM – THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY AND CHINA 1931–1941
18. 64th Independent Mixed Brigade (Tama)
19. 65th Independent Mixed Brigade (Natsu)
20. 68th Independent Mixed Brigade (Hoshi)
21. 70th Independent Mixed Brigade (Kakan)
22. 71st Independent Mixed Brigade (Kanto)
23. 72nd Independent Mixed Brigade (Kantetsu)
24. Japanese Forces Formosa 1 January 1945
25. IJN Subchaser CH-38:Tabular Record of Movement
26. 75th Independent Mixed Brigade (Kyo)
27. 76th Independent Mixed Brigade (Tsu)
28. 79th Independent Mixed Brigade (Jobu)
29. 80th Independent Mixed Brigade (Eihou/Hikari)
30. 81st Independent Mixed Brigade (Shikyo)
31. 82nd Independent Mixed Brigade (Shiretsu)
32. 83rd Independent Mixed Brigade (Shimou)
33. 84th Independent Mixed Brigade (Shiyu)
34. 85th Independent Mixed Brigade (Shiketsu)
35. 86th Independent Mixed Brigade (Shusou)
36. 87th Independent Mixed Brigade (Shindo)
37. 88th Independent Mixed Brigade (Chuten)
38. 89th Independent Mixed Brigade (Shijun)
39. 90th Independent Mixed Brigade (Shinrai)
40. Japanese China Expeditionary Army Forces in China Late April 1945
41. 91st Independent Mixed Brigade (Chiku)
42. 92nd Independent Mixed Brigade (Shiken)
43. 100th Independent Mixed Brigade (Banjaku)
44. 101st Independent Mixed Brigade (Tatsu)
45. "勇払平野の防御陣地". Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
46. 102nd Independent Mixed Brigade (Hachiman)
47. 103rd Independent Mixed Brigade (Hachiku)
48. 105th Independent Mixed Brigade (Kan'i)
49. 108th Independent Mixed Brigade (Sui)
50. Japanese 16th Army Homeland Defense June–August 1945
51. 112th Independent Mixed Brigade (Raijin)
52. "独立混成第１２３旅団". Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
53. 127th Independent Mixed Brigade (Sodan)
54. 128th Independent Mixed Brigade (Kai)
55. 129th Independent Mixed Brigade (Takane)
56. 130th Independent Mixed Brigade (Fun'yaku)
57. 131st Independent Mixed Brigade (Funshin)
58. 132nd Independent Mixed Brigade (Funsen)
59. 133rd Independent Mixed Brigade (Fukuju)
60. 134th Independent Mixed Brigade (Funrei)
61. Record of Operations Against Soviet Russia Northern and Western Fronts (August–September 1945), p. 69
62. 135th Independent Mixed Brigade (Fukyu)
63. 136th Independent Mixed Brigade (Fun'yaku)