List of Japanese Infantry Divisions
Encyclopedia
List of Japanese Infantry divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army
. During World War II
, the IJA organized three Guards Divisions and over 220 infantry divisions of various types(A/Reinforced,B/Standard,C/Counter-insurgency
). On 7 December the IJA had two divisions serving in Japan/Korea and 50 serving abroad, most in China. During the war another 117 were raised for foreign service and 56 were raised for national defense. These totaled 223 including the Imperial Guard. Additionally one parachute and four armored divisions were formed. Of this total no more than 35, that is one fifth of the IJA infantry division total, fought in the Pacific theatre.
was originally one Imperial Guards Division until the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War
. It was expanded during World War II
into three Guards Divisions:
s, and after 1938, and the remainder were formed either as triangular division
s or as binary security divisions.
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the IJA organized three Guards Divisions and over 220 infantry divisions of various types(A/Reinforced,B/Standard,C/Counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
). On 7 December the IJA had two divisions serving in Japan/Korea and 50 serving abroad, most in China. During the war another 117 were raised for foreign service and 56 were raised for national defense. These totaled 223 including the Imperial Guard. Additionally one parachute and four armored divisions were formed. Of this total no more than 35, that is one fifth of the IJA infantry division total, fought in the Pacific theatre.
Guard Divisions
The Konoe Imperial Guard of JapanImperial Guard of Japan
The Japanese is an organization which is dedicated to protection of the Emperor of Japan and his family, palaces and other imperial properties. Following the end of World War II the traditional Guard, which also served as a unit in the Imperial Japanese Army, was dissolved and in 1947 a civil...
was originally one Imperial Guards Division until the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. It was expanded during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
into three Guards Divisions:
- Konoe Imperial Guards Division
- 1st Guards Division
- 2nd Guards Division
- 3rd Guards Division
Infantry Divisions
The first 18 divisions were originally formed as square divisionSquare division
A square division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a square organization, the division's main body is composed of four regimental elements. Since a regiment could be split into separate battalions for tactical purposes, the natural division within a division...
s, and after 1938, and the remainder were formed either as triangular division
Triangular division
A triangular division is a designation given to the way divisions are organized. In a triangular organization, the division's main body is composed of three regimental maneuver elements. These regiments may be controlled by a brigade headquarters or directly subordinated to the division commander...
s or as binary security divisions.
- 1st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)1st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)The ' was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 1st Infantry Division was formed in Tokyo in January 1871 as the , one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Tokyo Garrison had responsibility for the eastern...
- IJA 2nd Division
- IJA 3rd Division
- IJA 4th Division
- IJA 5th Division
- IJA 6th Division
- IJA 7th Division
- IJA 8th Division
- IJA 9th Division
- IJA 10th Division
- IJA 11th Division
- IJA 12th Division
- IJA 13th Division
- IJA 14th Division
- IJA 15th Division
- IJA 16th Division
- IJA 17th Division
- IJA 18th Division
- IJA 19th Division
- IJA 20th Division
- IJA 21st Division
- IJA 22nd Division
- IJA 23rd Division
- IJA 24th Division
- IJA 25th Division
- IJA 26th Division
- IJA 27th Division
- IJA 28th Division
- IJA 29th Division
- IJA 30th Division
- IJA 31st Division
- IJA 32nd Division
- IJA 33rd Division
- IJA 34th Division
- IJA 35th DivisionIJA 35th DivisionThe 35th Division was a line division of the Imperial Japanese Army which fought in China and western New Guinea during the Pacific War. The division was formed in 1939 and was disbanded in 1945.-History:...
- IJA 36th Division
- IJA 37th Division
- IJA 38th Division
- IJA 39th Division
- IJA 40th Division
- IJA 41st Division
- IJA 42nd Division
- IJA 43rd Division
- IJA 44th Division
- IJA 46th Division
- IJA 47th Division
- IJA 48th Division
- IJA 49th Division
- IJA 50th Division
- IJA 51st Division
- IJA 52nd Division
- IJA 53rd Division
- IJA 54th Division
- IJA 55th Division
- IJA 56th Division
- IJA 57th Division
- IJA 58th Division
- IJA 59th Division
- IJA 60th Division
- IJA 61st Division
- IJA 62nd Division
- IJA 63rd Division
- IJA 64th Division
- IJA 65th Division
- IJA 66th Division
- IJA 68th Division
- IJA 69th Division
- IJA 70th Division
- IJA 71st Division
- IJA 72nd Division
- IJA 77th Division
- IJA 79th Division
- IJA 81st Division
- IJA 84th Division
- IJA 86th Division
- IJA 88th Division
- IJA 89th Division
- IJA 91st Division
- IJA 93rd Division
- IJA 94th Division
- IJA 96th Division
- IJA 100th Division
- IJA 101st Division
- IJA 102nd Division
- IJA 103rd Division
- IJA 104th Division
- IJA 105th Division
- IJA 106th Division
- IJA 107th Division
- IJA 108th Division
- IJA 109th Division
- IJA 110th Division
- IJA 111th Division
- IJA 112th Division
- IJA 114th Division
- IJA 115th Division
- IJA 116th Division
- IJA 117th Division
- IJA 118th Division
- IJA 119th Division
- IJA 120th Division
- IJA 121st Division
- IJA 122nd Division
- IJA 123rd Division
- IJA 124th Division
- IJA 125th Division
- IJA 126th Division
- IJA 127th Division
- IJA 128th Division
- IJA 129th Division
- IJA 130th Division
- IJA 131st Division
- IJA 132nd Division
- IJA 133rd Division
- IJA 134th Division
- IJA 135th Division
- IJA 136th Division
- IJA 137th Division
- IJA 138th Division
- IJA 139th Division
- IJA 140th Division
- IJA 142nd Division
- IJA 143rd Division
- IJA 144th DivisionIJA 144th Division144th Division was one of eighteen Coastal Defense Divisions raised by the Japanese to defend the coast of their homeland from an anticipated Allied invasion, on the 28th of February 1945. Each Division of the series between 140 and 160 had four infantry regiments...
- IJA 145th DivisionIJA 145th Division145th Division was one of eighteen Coastal Defense Divisions raised by the Japanese to defend the coast of their homeland from an anticipated Allied invasion, on the 28th of February 1945. Each Division of the series between 140 and 160 had four infantry regiments...
- IJA 146th Division
- IJA 147th Division
- IJA 148th Division
- IJA 149th Division
- IJA 150th Division
- IJA 151st Division
- IJA 152nd Division
- IJA 153rd Division
- IJA 154th Division
- IJA 155th Division
- IJA 156th Division
- IJA 157th Division
- IJA 160th Division
- IJA 161st Division
- IJA 201st Division
- IJA 202nd Division
- IJA 205th Division
- IJA 206th Division
- IJA 209th Division
- IJA 212th Division
- IJA 214th Division
- IJA 216th Division
- IJA 221st Division
- IJA 222nd Division
- IJA 224th Division
- IJA 225th Division
- IJA 229th Division
- IJA 230th Division
- IJA 231st Division
- IJA 234th Division
- IJA 303rd Division
- IJA 308th Division
- IJA 312th Division
- IJA 316th Division
- IJA 320th Division
- IJA 321st Division
- IJA 322nd Division
- IJA 344th Division
- IJA 351st Division
- IJA 354th Division
- IJA 355th Division
Sources
- Madej, W. Victor, Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981
- The Japanese Mutumi troop encyclopedia 陸 軍 編