Aide-de-camp to the Emperor of Japan explained

In Japan, the is a special military official whose primary duties are to report military affairs to the Emperor and act as a close attendant (chamberlain). From 1896 through to 1945, a small number of army and naval aides-de-camp were supplied to the Emperor due to his increased status and the risks to him during wartime.

Background

An excerpt from the :[1]

Aides-de-camp to the Emperor will perform attendant duties and will relay to him military matters and orders, be present at military reviews [in his name] and accompanying him to formal ceremonies and interviews.

Both Prime Minister and, army ministers at the end of the war, are said to have contributed to the Potsdam Declaration acceptance by means of their responsibilities to Emperor Showa as the grand chamberlain and aide-de-camp to the Emperor in 1929 (Showa-4).

Moreover, to the Crown Prince, the Imperial Family, and the mediatized Korean royal family (the former Korean imperial family), aides-de-camp were also provided. The military officers serving the Oukouzoku wore silver aiguillettes over their uniform.

List of aides-de-camp

Senior Aide-de-camp

NamePortraitRankTerm of Office
StartEnd
1Okazawa KuwashiLieutenant general3 April 18966 June 1904
General6 June 1904December 1908
2Nakamura SatoruLieutenant general29 December 1908August 1913
3Uchiyama KojirōLieutenant general22 August 191310 August 1915
General10 August 1915November 1922
4Nara TakejiLieutenant general24 November 192220 August 1924
General20 August 1924April 1933
5Honjō ShigeruLieutenant general6 April 193319 June 1933
General19 June 1933March 1936
6Usami OkiieLieutenant general23 March 1936May 1939
7Hata ShunrokuGeneral25 May 1939August 1939
8Hasunuma ShigeruLieutenant general31 August 19392 December 1940
General2 December 1940November 1945

Army Aide-de-camp

Naval Aide-de-camp

7 September 1894-20 February 1895

1 November 1896-21 December 1899

21 December 1899-11 July 1903

25 November 1921-1 December 1922

5 February 1924-1 December 1926

15 December 1938-20 October 1941

15 November 1939-26 October 1942

See also

Notes and References

  1. 侍従武官ハ天皇ニ常侍奉仕シ軍事ニ関スル奏上奉答及命令ノ伝達ニ任シ観兵演習行幸其他祭儀礼典宴会謁見等ニ陪侍扈従ス