Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army explained

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 Japanese: Rikugun (army) or Japanese: 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: Japanese: Taisa (colonel), so the rank of Japanese: Rikugun Taisa denoted an army colonel, while the rank of Japanese: Kaigun daisa denoted a naval captain.

Meiji 19 insignia

Officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Sleeve insignia	<	--None-->							<	--None-->
	Japanese: 陸軍大将 Japanese: Rikugun-Taishō		Japanese: 陸軍中将 Japanese: Rikugun-Chūjō		Japanese: 陸軍少将 Japanese: Rikugun-Shōshō		Japanese: 陸軍大佐 Japanese: Rikugun-Taisa		Japanese: 陸軍中佐 Japanese: Rikugun-Chūsa		Japanese: 陸軍少佐 Japanese: Rikugun-Shōsa		Japanese: 陸軍大尉 Japanese: Rikugun-Tai-i		Japanese: 陸軍中尉 Japanese: Rikugun-Chūi		Japanese: 陸軍少尉 Japanese: Rikugun-Shōi		Japanese: 准士官・下副官 Japanese: Junsikan·Kafukukan
English translation	<		--None-->	General		Lieutenant general		Major general		<		--None-->	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant		Second lieutenant

Other ranks

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

Sleeve insignia																													<	--none-->
	Japanese: 曹長 Japanese: Sōchō								Japanese: 一等軍曹<br />（近衛） Japanese: Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe)																Japanese: 二等軍曹 Japanese: Nitō-Gunsō				Japanese: 上等兵 Japanese: Jōtō-Hei		Japanese: 一等兵<br />（近衛） Japanese: Ittō-Hei (Konoe)		Japanese: 二等兵 Japanese: Nitō-Hei
English translation	Sergeant major								Sergeant first class (Guard)																Sergeant 2nd class				<	--none-->	Superior private		Private first class (Guard)		Private 2nd class

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

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

See also

• Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy
• Imperial Japanese Army
• Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Book: Mollo . Andrew . Andrew Mollo . The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation . 2001 . Silverdale books . Leicester . 1-85605-603-1.
• Book: Nakanishi . Ritta . Japanese Military Uniforms 1841-1929 . 2001 . Dainippon Kaiga Co., Ltd. . 978-4499227377.