Masaichi Niimi
Encyclopedia
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
during the World War II
.
. Hiroshima prefecture
, as the second son to a farming and soy sauce
producing family. He was a graduate of the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
in 1908, ranking 15th out of 191 cadets. As a midshipman
, he served on the cruiser
s and .
He attended naval artillery
and torpedo
school in 1910, and was then assigned back to the Aso, followed by the destroyer
.
As a lieutenant
from 1914, he served on the cruiser , battlecruiser
, battleship
and destroyer . He attended the Naval War College (Japan)
in 1917, specializing in naval artillery. In 1919, he became chief gunnery officer on the battleship . He was promoted to lieutenant commander
in 1920, and was send to the United Kingdom
as a naval attaché from 1923–1925, during which time he was further promoted to commander
. In 1922, he wrote a report to the Navy General Staff
on the importance of protecting merchant shipping in times of war.
On his return to Japan, he was assigned as executive officer
on the cruiser in 1926. He was promoted to captain
in 1929. On 1 April 1931, he was given his first command: the cruiser . He subsequently served as captain of the cruisers and .
Niimi was promoted to rear admiral
on 15 November 1935. In 1937, he accompanied Prince Chichibu
to England
for the Coronation Ceremonies of King George VI, afterwards visiting France
, Germany
and the United States. After serving as chief of staff of the Kure Naval District
and of the IJN 2nd Fleet
, he was further promoted to vice admiral
and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on 15 November 1939.
On 4 April 1941, he assumed command of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, and was responsible for the naval component of the invasion of Hong Kong
, where his duties primarily involved the blockade of Hong Kong harbor with small patrol craft and a couple of light cruisers. He nominally shared the position of Head of Japanese Occupation Forces in Hong Kong
with General Takashi Sakai
, but his authority was limited to offshore areas.
On 14 July 1942, he became Commander in Chief of the Maizuru Naval District
. He retired from active service in March 1943.
Niimi survived the war and lived on to the age of 106 years old.
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
during the 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...
.
Biography
Niimi was born in what is now Asakita Ward, Hiroshima cityAsakita-ku, Hiroshima
is one of the eight wards of the city of Hiroshima, located in the North of Asa-gun and the South of Takata-gun: now-defunct districts .Asa-gun was consisted of Kabe-cho, Kōyō-cho, Asa-cho. Takata-gun was including Shiraki-cho...
. Hiroshima prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, as the second son to a farming and soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
producing family. He was a graduate of the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
in 1908, ranking 15th out of 191 cadets. As a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
, he served on the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and .
He attended naval artillery
Naval artillery
Naval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
and torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
school in 1910, and was then assigned back to the Aso, followed by the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
.
As a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
from 1914, he served on the cruiser , battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
, battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
and destroyer . He attended the Naval War College (Japan)
Naval War College (Japan)
The was the staff college of the Imperial Japanese Navy, responsible for training officers for command positions either on warships, or in staff roles....
in 1917, specializing in naval artillery. In 1919, he became chief gunnery officer on the battleship . He was promoted to lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in 1920, and was send to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a naval attaché from 1923–1925, during which time he was further promoted to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
. In 1922, he wrote a report to the Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
on the importance of protecting merchant shipping in times of war.
On his return to Japan, he was assigned as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
on the cruiser in 1926. He was promoted to captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in 1929. On 1 April 1931, he was given his first command: the cruiser . He subsequently served as captain of the cruisers and .
Niimi was promoted to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on 15 November 1935. In 1937, he accompanied Prince Chichibu
Prince Chichibu
, also known as Prince Yasuhito, was the second son of Emperor Taishō and a younger brother of the Emperor Shōwa. As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, he was the patron of several sporting, medical, and international exchange organizations...
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for the Coronation Ceremonies of King George VI, afterwards visiting France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United States. After serving as chief of staff of the Kure Naval District
Kure Naval District
was the second of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the Inland Sea of Japan and the Pacific coasts of southern Honshū from Wakayama to Yamaguchi prefectures, eastern and northern Kyūshū and Shikoku....
and of the IJN 2nd Fleet
IJN 2nd Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy.-History:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy's Vladivostok-based cruiser squadron while the...
, he was further promoted to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on 15 November 1939.
On 4 April 1941, he assumed command of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, and was responsible for the naval component of the invasion of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
, where his duties primarily involved the blockade of Hong Kong harbor with small patrol craft and a couple of light cruisers. He nominally shared the position of Head of Japanese Occupation Forces in Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
with General Takashi Sakai
Takashi Sakai
-Notes:...
, but his authority was limited to offshore areas.
On 14 July 1942, he became Commander in Chief of the Maizuru Naval District
Maizuru Naval District
was one of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the entire Sea of Japan coastline from northern Kyūshū to western Hokkaidō.-History:...
. He retired from active service in March 1943.
Niimi survived the war and lived on to the age of 106 years old.