Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army
The following tables present the rank insignia of the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II. These designs were worn on shoulders as passants (shoulder straps) between the years 1911 and 1938, then on collars afterwards until 1945, when the army was dissolved.
| Imperial Japanese Military |
|---|
.svg.png) |
| Administration |
.svg.png){kind=small} (Dai Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) |
 (Dai Nippon Teikoku Kaigun) |
|
| Rank insignia |
| History |
|
The same officer ranks were used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy, the only distinction being the placement of the word Rikugun (army) or Kaigun (navy) before the rank. Thus, for example, a captain in the navy shared the same rank designation as that of a colonel in the army: Taisa (colonel), so the rank of Rikugun Taisa denoted an army colonel, while the rank of Kaigun daisa denoted a naval captain.
Officer ranks
| Imperial Japanese Army ranks | English translation | Collar insignia | Command |
|---|---|---|---|
| 大元帥陸軍大将 (Daigensui-Rikugun-Taishō) |
Grand Marshal of the Japanese Empire (Generalissimo) |
.png){kind=icon} |
Imperial Army |
| 元帥陸軍大将 (Gensui-Rikugun-Taishō) |
Field Marshal (Marshal) |
  (enamel badge) |
General army (Role:Army group) |
| 陸軍大将 (Rikugun-Taishō) |
General (Army General) |
|
Area army (Role:Field army) Army (Role:Army corps) |
| 陸軍中将 (Rikugun-Chūjō) |
Lieutenant General (Divisional General) |
 |
Area army Army Division |
| 陸軍少将 (Rikugun-Shōshō) |
Major General (Brigade General) |
 |
Division.[1] Brigade |
| 陸軍大佐 (Rikugun-Taisa) |
Colonel |  |
Brigade Regiment |
| 陸軍中佐 (Rikugun-Chūsa) |
Lieutenant Colonel |  |
Regiment Battalion |
| 陸軍少佐 (Rikugun-Shōsa) |
Major |  |
Battalion |
| 陸軍大尉 (Rikugun-Tai-i) |
Captain |  |
Battalion Company |
| 陸軍中尉 (Rikugun-Chūi) |
First Lieutenant |  |
Company Platoon |
| 陸軍少尉 (Rikugun-Shōi) |
Second Lieutenant |  |
Platoon |
Warrant Officer & Enlisted ranks
| All-forces ranks | English translation | Collar insignia | Usual command |
|---|---|---|---|
| 准尉 (Jun-i) (Associate Officer) |
Warrant Officer |  |
Platoon |
| 曹長 (Sōchō) |
Sergeant Major |  | |
| 軍曹 (Gunsō) |
Sergeant |  |
Squad |
| 伍長 (Gochō) |
Corporal |  | |
| 兵長 (Heichō (Leading Soldier)) 伍長勤務上等兵 (Gochō Kinmu jōtōhei (Senior Soldier acting as Corporal)) |
Lance Corporal Second Corporal |
 | |
| 上等兵 (Jōtōhei (Senior Soldier)) |
Superior Private (Specialist) |
 |
None |
| 一等兵 (Ittōhei (Soldier First Class)) |
Private 1st Class |  | |
| 二等兵 (Nitōhei (Soldier Second Class)) |
Private |  | |
See also
- Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy
- Comparative military ranks
- Imperial Japanese Army
- Imperial Japanese Navy
- Military rank
Notes
- The purpose is to appoint young general officers at the end of World War II.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.