Rihachirō Banzai
坂西利八郎
Born(1871-02-05)February 5, 1871
Wakayama Prefecture
DiedMay 30, 1950(1950-05-30) (aged 79)
Occupation(s)General, politician
Years active1892 - 1927
OrganizationImperial Japanese Army
Banzai Rihachirō in uniform

Rihachirō Banzai (坂西 利八郎, Banzai Rihachirō, February 5, 1871 - May 30, 1950) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army and advisor to the government of the Republic of China, who later served as a politician in the House of Peers.

Life

Career

Banzai Rihachirō was born in Wakayama Prefecture, the eldest son of Artillery Captain Banzai Ryoichi. After graduating from the Army Youth School, he attended the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, from which he graduated in July 1891. In March 1892, Banzai was commissioned as an artillery lieutenant in the 6th Field Artillery Regiment. From February 1895 to March 1896, he served in the First Sino-Japanese War.[1] He attended the Army Artillery School, graduating in November 1896, and then going on to the Army War College, from which he graduated from in December 1900, as the fourteenth in his class.

Banzai was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office, and was sent on a mission to the Qing Empire and an investigation mission to Manchuria.[2] For a time, he served as an advisor to Chinese president Yuan Shikai. He returned to Japan in May 1908. He went on an official visit to Europe as a military attaché along with the 12th Field Artillery Regiment, the regiment leader of the 9th Field Artillery Regiment, and the IJA General Staff (residing in Beijing).[3] He was promoted to the rank of major general in August 1917.

In 1921, Banzai was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. In 1923, he was assigned as a military advisor to President of the Republic of China Li Yuanhong. In September 1934, he became an advisor to the Beijing Government.[4] In April 1927, he retired from active service and entered the reserves.[5] He served as a member of the House of Peers from April 18, 1927, to May 14, 1946.[6]

Family

Banzai Rihachirō was the adoptive father of Ichirō Banzai, a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army. His brother Matahachi Banzai was an officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and his other brother Heihachi Banzai was a major general in the army.

Ranks, Awards, and Honors

Court ranks

  • Senior Eighth Rank, July 6, 1892[7]
  • Senior Sixth Rank, December 27, 1907[8]
  • Junior Third Rank, May 16, 1927[9]

Orders (Empire of Japan)

Orders (Qing Empire)

References

  1. ↑ Hata Ikuhiko, "日本陸海軍総合事典" (second edition), University of Tokyo Press, 2005.
  2. ↑ Tokyama Misao, "陸海軍将官人事総覧 陸軍篇", Fuyō Shobō Press, 1981.
  3. ↑ Yamamoto Shirō, "坂西利八郎書翰・報告集", Tōsui Shobō, 1989.
  4. ↑ Fukugawa Hideki, "日本陸軍将官辞典", Fuyō Shobō Press, 2001.
  5. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 89, April 19th, 1928.
  6. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 5299, May 17, 1946.
  7. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 2707, "Appointments and Resignations", July 7th, 1892.
  8. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 7352, "Appointments and Resignations", December 28th, 1907.
  9. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 150, "Appointments and Resignations", June 30th, 1927.
  10. ↑ Kanpou, Extra, "Appointments and Resignations", December 11th, 1906.
  11. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 539, "Appointments and Resignations", May 18th, 1914.
  12. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 1850, "Appointments and Resignations", October 2nd, 1918.
  13. ↑ Kanpou, Appendix, Resignations 2, November 21st, 1941.
  14. ↑ Kanpou, Issue 7517, "Appointments and Resignations", July 17th, 1908.

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