This is a 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.

Total amount of IJA divisions, including infantry, armor, parachute, anti-air and air-service, from 1888 to 1945

Guard Divisions

The Konoe Imperial Guard of Japan 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:

Infantry Divisions

The first 18 divisions were originally formed as square divisions, and after 1938, and the remainder were formed either as triangular divisions or as binary security divisions. 16 coastal defense divisions with numbers from 140th to 160th (except for 148th and 149th divisions) were also formed as square divisions.

Sources

    • Madej, W. Victor, Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981
    • United States War Department (1991) [1944]. Handbook on Japanese Military Forces. Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State University Press. ISBN 0-8071-2013-8.
    • The Japanese Mutumi troop encyclopedia 陸 軍 編
    Map of Japan
    8
    8
    7
    7
    5 6
    5
    6
    4
    4
    3
    3
    2
    2
    1
    1
    4
    4
    1GD 2GD 3GD
    1GD
    2GD
    3GD
    354
    354
    344
    344
    322
    322
    321
    321
    316
    316
    312
    312
    308
    308
    303
    303
    234
    234
    231
    231
    230
    230
    229
    229
    225 355
    225
    355
    224
    224
    222
    222
    221
    221
    216
    216
    214
    214
    212
    212
    209
    209
    206
    206
    202
    202
    201
    201
    157
    157
    156
    156
    155
    155
    154
    154
    153
    153
    152
    152
    151
    151
    150
    150
    147
    147
    146
    146
    145
    145
    144
    144
    143
    143
    142
    142
    140
    140
    93
    93
    89
    89
    86
    86
    84
    84
    81
    81
    77
    77
    73
    73
    72
    72
    57 351
    57
    351
    44
    44
    42
    42
    28
    28
    25
    25
    11  205
    11
    205
    7
    7
    64
    64
    66
    66
    67
    67
    95
    95
    96
    96
    97
    97
    98
    98
    101
    101
    107
    107
    109
    109
    113
    113
    114
    114
    115
    115
    116
    116
    117
    117
    118
    118
    119
    119
    120
    120
    121
    121
    122
    122
    123
    123
    124
    124
    125
    125
    126
    126
    Independent Mixed Brigade
    Independent Mixed Brigade
    Infantry Division (including guard divisions)
    Infantry Division (including guard divisions)
    Independent Armored Brigade
    Independent Armored Brigade
    Armored division
    Armored division
    Japanese infantry and armored units in Home Islands, 15 August 1945
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.