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Imamura file photo [5746]

Hitoshi Imamura

SurnameImamura
Given NameHitoshi
CountryJapan
CategoryMilitary-Ground
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseHitoshi Imamura was a chief of Army General Staff operations section during 1931-32 and after that a liason to 9th Division in Shanghai Incident, fighting early 1932. He was made then for regimental commander, promoted to Major-General and made for brigade commander in 1935. He became a deputy chief-of-staff, Kwantung Army, Manchuria 1936 and a Commandant of Infantry School in 1937. Soon promoted to rank of Lt-General, Imamura was given a command of 5th Division in China and held that command in years 1938-40.

ww2dbaseHe was Inspector General of Military Education during 1940-1941. This was an extremely powerful position in the Army hierarchy because this office approved all officer postings, up to and including choice of Army Minister.

ww2dbaseImamura became a Commander 16th Army in November 1941, and led that Army in Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942 and personally landed on Java Island.

ww2dbaseAfter that he assumed command of new 8th Area Army (responsible for 17th Army in Solomon Islands and 18th Army in New Guinea) in November 1942. He was promoted to full general in 1943. From Sep 1943 he was largely fighting a series of defensive campaigns, by orders from Tokyo, in attempt to delay the imminent American advances.

ww2dbaseAfter the war, he was tried for war crimes and was imprisoned at Sugamo between 1946 and 1954.

ww2dbaseSource: The Pacific Campaign, Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Apr 2005

Hitoshi Imamura Interactive Map

Photographs

Portrait of Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura, circa early 1940sLieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura, Lieutenant General Hein ter Poorten, and other officers shortly after ter Poorten surrendered to the Japanese, Kalidjati, Java, Dutch East Indies, 8 Mar 1942
See all 3 photographs of Hitoshi Imamura

Hitoshi Imamura Timeline

2 Dec 1942 General Hitoshi Imamura arrived in Rabaul, New Britain to take command of the Japanese South Pacific Area and the Seventeenth Army.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anoymous says:
6 Feb 2018 03:06:03 PM

I am an American, my grandmother is Japanese, she married my American grandfather in 1962 and came here and promptly lost most contact with her Japanese family. I am told this general is her uncle or great uncle. Does anyone know his family background?
2. Amir Sidharta says:
31 Mar 2019 04:44:24 PM

What is your wife's father's name? He had a brother who was also in the military.

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More on Hitoshi Imamura
Event(s) Participated:
» Solomon Islands Campaign

Hitoshi Imamura Photo Gallery
Portrait of Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura, circa early 1940sLieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura, Lieutenant General Hein ter Poorten, and other officers shortly after ter Poorten surrendered to the Japanese, Kalidjati, Java, Dutch East Indies, 8 Mar 1942
See all 3 photographs of Hitoshi Imamura


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"Since peace is now beyond hope, we can but fight to the end."

Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937


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