Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army
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Imperial Japanese Armed Forces |
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Administration |
![]() (Dai Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) |
![]() (Dai Nippon Teikoku Kaigun) |
Rank insignia |
History |
The Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army were the rank insignia of the Imperial Japanese Army, used from its creation in 1868, until its dissolution in 1945 following the Surrender of Japan in World War II.
The officer rank names 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.
Meiji 19 insignia
[edit]Officer ranks
[edit]The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sleeve insignia (1868–1904)[1] |
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陸軍大将 Rikugun-Taishō |
陸軍中将 Rikugun-Chūjō |
陸軍少将 Rikugun-Shōshō |
陸軍大佐 Rikugun-Taisa |
陸軍中佐 Rikugun-Chūsa |
陸軍少佐 Rikugun-Shōsa |
陸軍大尉 Rikugun-Tai-i |
陸軍中尉 Rikugun-Chūi |
陸軍少尉 Rikugun-Shōi |
准士官・下副官 Junsikan·Kafukukan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
English translation |
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Warrant officer · Adjutant |
Other ranks
[edit]The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sleeve insignia (1868–1904)[1] |
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曹長 Sōchō |
一等軍曹 (近衛) Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) |
二等軍曹 Nitō-Gunsō |
上等兵 Jōtō-Hei |
一等兵 (近衛) Ittō-Hei (Konoe) |
二等兵 Nitō-Hei | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
English translation |
Sergeant major | Sergeant first class (Guard) |
Sergeant 2nd class | Superior private | Private first class (Guard) |
Private 2nd class |
Cap badges
[edit]Commissioned officer ranks
[edit]The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Title | 大元帥陸軍大将 Daigensui-rikugun-taishō |
陸軍大将 Rikugun-taishō[a] |
陸軍中将 Rikugun-chūjō |
陸軍少将 Rikugun-shōshō |
陸軍大佐 Rikugun-taisa |
陸軍中佐 Rikugun-chūsa |
陸軍少佐 Rikugun-shōsa |
陸軍大尉 Rikugun-tai-i |
陸軍中尉 Rikugun-chūi |
陸軍少尉 Rikugun-shōi |
准尉 Jun-i | |||||||||||||
Translation[2] | Commander-in-chief | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Warrant officer | |||||||||||||
Showa 13 (1938) |
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Showa 18[2] (1943) |
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Shoulder | ![]() |
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Sleeve[2] | ![]() |
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Other ranks
[edit]The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Rank group | Non-commissioned officers | Enlisted personnel | ||||||
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Title | 曹長 (Sōchō) |
軍曹 (Gunsō) |
伍長 (Gochō) |
兵長 (Heichō) 伍長勤務上等兵 (Gochō Kinmu jōtōhei) |
上等兵 (Jōtōhei) |
一等兵 (Ittōhei) |
二等兵 (Nitōhei) |
三等兵 (Santōhei) |
Translation[2] | Sergeant major | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Superior private | Private first class | Private second class | Private |
Collar[2] | ![]() |
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Shoulder | ![]() |
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See also
[edit]- Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy
- Imperial Japanese Army
- Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Notes
[edit]- ^ Same rank insignia used for the Gensui-rikugun-taishō (元帥陸軍大将), worn with an additional badge.
References
[edit]- Citations
- ^ a b Nakanishi 2001, pp. 49–50.
- ^ a b c d e Mollo 2001, p. 180.
- Bibliography
- Mollo, Andrew (2001). The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation. Leicester: Silverdale books. ISBN 1-85605-603-1.
- Nakanishi, Ritta (2001). Japanese Military Uniforms 1841-1929. Dainippon Kaiga Co., Ltd. ISBN 978-4499227377.