Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army

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Imperial Japanese Army uniforms and ranks during World War II (US Army poster) WW2 Japanese Army Uniforms Rank insignia Collar patches ornaments Poster chart 1944 US Government National Archives NARA Unrestricted Public domain 44-pa-1139 cropped.jpg
Imperial Japanese Army uniforms and ranks during World War II (US Army poster)

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.

Contents

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

Officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officers
Sleeve insignia
(1868–1904) [1]
Imperial Japanese Army OF-9 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-8 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-7 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-5 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-4 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-3 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-2 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-1b * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OF-1a * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OR-1 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png
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

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
Sleeve insignia
(1868–1904) [1]
Imperial Japanese Army OR-9 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OR-6 * cuff insignia - line (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OR-5 * cuff insignia - guard (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OR-4 * cuff insignia - guard (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OR-3 * cuff insignia - line (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png Imperial Japanese Army OR-2 * cuff insignia (M1886 Dark Blue Uniform).png
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

Officer is the one with the yellow star and red. Lower rank is the one with yellow star.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officers
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)
Japan-army-1938-1945 17-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 16-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 15-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 14-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 13-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 12-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 11-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 10-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 09-1-.gif Japan-army-1938-1945 08-1-.gif
Showa 18 [2]
(1943)
Generalissimo collar rank insignia (Japan).png Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Da Jiang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Zhong Jiang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Shao Jiang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Da Zuo .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Zhong Zuo .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Shao Zuo .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Da Wei .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Zhong Wei .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Shao Wei .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Zhun Wei .svg
Shoulder Generalissimo rank insignia (Japan).png Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Da Jiang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Zhong Jiang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Shao Jiang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Da Zuo .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Zhong Zuo .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Shao Zuo .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Da Wei .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Zhong Wei .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Shao Wei .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Zhun Wei .svg
Sleeve [2] Japan-Army-OF-9 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-8 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-7 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-5 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-4 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-3 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-2 Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-1b Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-1a Sleeve (1943-1945).svg Japan-Army-OF-(D) Sleeve (1943-1945).svg

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank groupNon-commissioned officersEnlisted personnel
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 privatePrivate first classPrivate second classPrivate
Collar [2] Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Cao Chang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Jun Cao .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Wu Chang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Bing Chang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Shang Deng Bing .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Yi Deng Bing .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jin Zhang --Er Deng Bing .svg Blank.svg
Shoulder Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Cao Chang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Jun Cao .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Wu Chang .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Bing Chang (2).svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Shang Deng Bing .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Yi Deng Bing .svg Di Guo Lu Jun noJie Ji --Jian Zhang --Er Deng Bing .svg Blank.svg

See also

Notes

  1. Same rank insignia used for the Gensui-rikugun-taishō (元帥陸軍大将), worn with an additional badge.

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References

Citations
  1. 1 2 Nakanishi 2001, pp. 49–50.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Mollo 2001, p. 180.
Bibliography