Japanese Order of Battle, Part 1 (original) (raw)
Unit
Commander
Start
Administrative
Assignment
Operational
Assignment
Notes
Imperial General Headquarters
Imperial General Headquarters was almost completely ineffectual, being divided into separate Army and Navy sections that were not even located together. There was no ultimate decision maker short of the Emperor, who was ill-equipped to fill this role.
Army General Staff
4 Division
"Osaka." Activated 1881-5-14, and acquired a reputation as an unlucky division lacking in intrepidity. General reserve. Seriously understrength, with just 11,000 men. Homma considered this the worst-equipped division in the Japanese Army. Its infantry group was composed of 8 Regiment, 37 Regiment (from Osaka), and 61 Regiment. Redeployed to Luzon 1942-2, where it carried out the assault on Corregidor. Returned to Japan 1943-8, and redeployed to Sumatra 1944-8 and Thailand 1944-12.
1 Amphibious Landing Group
Exact assignment unknown. Redesignated as 1 Amphibious Brigade in 1944-1.
Ship Transport Command
Responsible for the Army merchant shipping pool
Northern District Army
Redesignated 5 Area Army on 1944-3-10.
7 Division
"Asahikawa". Activated 19 October 1886. Participated in the Siberian Intervention in 1918.
The bulk of the division (26 and 27 Regiments) never left Japan, and so a 7 Depot Division was never active. THe division was not yet triangularized in December 1941 and still included 25 Regiment in its organization.
28 Regiment
Ichiki Detachment, 2328 men. Formed in 1875 and credited with taking 203 Meter Height during the siege of Port Arthur in 1905. Destroyed in the Battle of the Tenaru (Ilu) River at Guadalcanal on 21 August 1942.
8 Depot Division
Karafuto Independent Mixed Brigade
Karafuto Reserve Brigade
Chishima Regiment
Central District Army
Redesignated 13 Area Army in 1945-1.
53 Depot Division
53 Division was authorized on 1940-7-10 but not formally activated until 1943-11-19. Until then it was rated as a depot division. Mostly older men from the Kyoto area. Composed of 119, 128, and 151 Regiments.
54 Division
Activated 1940-7-10 as a Type B division. Composed of 111, 121, and 154 Regiments. Deployed to Burma 1943-8.
4 Depot Division
Supporting at least 5 divisions and 5 brigades by the end of the war.
5 Depot Division
Supporting at least 5 divisions and 3 brigades by the end of the war.
55 Depot Division
Zentsuji (133.783E 34.233N)
Supporting at least 3 divisions and 3 brigades by the end of the war.
1 Air Division
A training unit. From 1944-2 on, it was used as an antisubmarine unit for coastal patrol around the home islands.
64 Independent Infantry Group
Deactivated 1944-1 to provide cadre for 49 Division. Consists of 106, 153, and 168 Regiments.
13 Air Regiment
9 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in the New Georgia, Wewak, and second Philippines campaigns.
Western District Army
6 Depot Division
Supporting at least 7 divisions and a brigade by the end of the war.
56 Depot Division
Supporting at least 4 divisions and 2 brigadesby the end of the war.
66 Independent Infantry Group
Composed of 123,145, and 147 Regiments. Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 46 Division.
26 Engineer Regiment
Eastern District Army
52 Depot Division
52 Division was authorized 1940-7-10 but not formally activated until 1943-8-10, and rated as a depot division until that time. Composed of 69, 107, and 150 Regiments.
2 Depot Division
Supporting at least 5 divisions and 6 brigades by the end of the war.
3 Depot Division
Supporting at least 6 divisions and 4 brigades by the end of the war.
51 Depot Division
Supporting at least 7 divisions and 3 brigades by the end of the war.
57 Depot Division
Supporting at least 5 divisions and 4 brigades by the end of the war.
Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade
Or Imperial Guards Depot Division. Composed of 1 and 2 Imperial Guards Regiments.
61 Independent Infantry Group
Deactivated 1943-3 to provide cadre for 61 Division. Composed of 101,149, and 157 Regiments.
62 Independent Infantry Group
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 42 Division. Composed of 129, 130, and 158 Regiments.
63 Independent Infantry Group
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 43 Division. Composed of 118, 135, and 136 Regiments.
67 Independent Infantry Group
Composed of 105,125, and 131 Regiments. Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 47 Division.
107 Brigade
Existence and assignment uncertain
17 Air Brigade
5 Air Regiment
25 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in western New Guinea campaign.
144 Air Regiment
19 Ki-27 Nate. Redesignated244 Air Regiment 1942-4
Participated in the Okinawa campaign.
Korea Army
Redesignated Korea District Army 1945-2-1
19 Division
"Ranan." Activated 1915-12-24. Composed of 73, 75, and 76 Regiments. May still have been a square division in December 1941 with 74 Regiment. Redeployed to Luzon 1944-12 and destroyed.
20 Division
"Keijo." Activated 1915-12-24. Square division. Composed of 77, 78,79, and 80 Regiments. Redeployed to New Guinea 1943-1 and triangularized 1943-6, giving up 77 Regiment. Suffered heavy casualties in Lae campaign.
23 Independent Engineer Regiment
Specially trained in river crossing and use of landing craft. It was deployed to 14 Army in time for the Corregidor assault.
Formosa Army
No combat formations were assigned in December 1941. Redesignated as Formosa District Army 1945-2-1
Controlled all army units in central and southern China. These were the areas of active operations against the Kuomintang.
11 Army
The "cutting edge" of the Japanese Army in China, acting as its chief operational force. Organized in July 1938 to conduct the Wuhan campaign. Preparing to attack Changsha with 120,000 men supported by 600 artillery pieces and 200 aircraft of 1 Air Brigade.
3 Division
"Nagoya." Activated 1881-5-14. Composed of 6, 34, and 68 Regiments.
6 Division
"Kumamoto." Activated 1881-5-14. Had an excellent reputation as one of the toughest divisions in the Japanese Army, but was involved in the Rape of Nanking. Redeployed to Bougainville 1943-1 and isolated for the remainder of the war. Infantry group consisted of 13, 23 and 45 Regiments.
13 Division
Activated 1937-9-9 as a "special" or wartime division primarily composed of reservists. Recruited from Sendai. Composed of 65, 104, and 116 Regiments. May still have been a square division in December 1941 with 58 Regiment.
34 Division
From Osaka. Activated 1939-2-7 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 216, 217, and 218 Regiments.
39 Division
Tangyang (111.789E 30.829N)
From Hiroshima. Activated 1939-6-30 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 231,232, and 233 Regiments. Redeployed to Manchuria 1945-7
40 Division
Activated 1939-6-30 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 234, 235, and 236 Regiments.
14 Independent Mixed Brigade
Along Kiukiang-Nanchang railroad?
18 Independent Mixed Brigade
Deactivated to provide cadre for 56 Division 1942-2
13 Tank Regiment
2 Engineer Regiment
8 Engineer Regiment
13 Army
Organized at Shanghai in late 1939, primarily as a peacekeeping force for the Shanghai-Nanking area.
15 Division
Activated 1938-4-4 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Recruited from Kyoto. Composed of 51, 60, and 67 Regiments. Redeployed to Thailand 1943-8, where it was employed mostly in roadbuilding, and toBurma 1944-2.
17 Division
"Kimeji." Activated 1938-4-4 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 53 54, and 81 Regiments. Redeployed to New Britain 1943-9. Reorganized in 1943 or 1944, dropping 81 Regiment and activating 2 and 6 Mixed Regiments from local units to give a square structure.
22 Division
From Sendai. Activated 1938-4-4 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 84, 85, and 86 Regiments. Redeployed to French Indochina 1945-1
116 Division
Activated 1938-5-15 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Square division with brigades shown below. Triangularized 1943-3 with removal of 138 Regiment.
119 Brigade
Composed of 109 and 120 Regiments.
130 Brigade
Composed of 133 and 138 Regiments.
11 Independent Mixed Brigade
West of Shanghai
Deactivated 1942-4 to provide cadre for 60 Division.
12 Independent Mixed Brigade
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 64 Division.
13 Independent Mixed Brigade
Anhwei-Kiangsu area
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 65 Division.
17 Independent Mixed Brigade
20 Independent Mixed Brigade
Deactivated 1942-4 to provide cadre for 70 Division.
23 Army
51 Division
Activated 1940-9-1 at Utsunomiya as a Type B division. Composed of 66, 102, and 115 Regiments. Redeployed to New Guinea 1943-1 and destroyed.
104 Division
Activated 1938-6-15 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 108, 137, and 161 Regiments. May have retained a square structure with 170 Regiment.
? Independent Mixed Brigade
19 Independent Mixed Brigade
45 Air Regiment
34 Ki-32 Mary
1 Air Brigade
Assigned to support 11 Army at Changsha
44 Air Regiment
24 Ki-51 Sonia
18 Squadron
11 Ki-15 Babs
54 Air Regiment
12 Ki-27 Nate (at Nanking)
24 Ki-27 Nate (at Hankow)
Participated in the second Philippine and Okinawa campaigns.
10 Squadron
10 Ki-27 Nate
8 Air Regiment
12 Ki-51 Sonia
83 Squadron
10 Ki-15 Babs
66 Squadron
12 Ki-30 Ann
Controlled army units in north China, where there were no active operations against the Kuomintang. However, antiguerrilla operations against Mao'sChinese Communists were ongoing.
27 Division
From Tokyo. Activated 1938-6-21 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 1,2, and 3 China Garrison Regiments.
35 Division
Kaifeng (114.3E 34.8N)
Activated 1939-2-7 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 219, 220, and 221 Regiments. Redeployed to New Guinea 1944-4 and destroyed.
110 Division
Hopeh
Activated 1938-6-16 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Square division. Composed of 108 Brigade (139 and 140 Regiments) and 133 Brigade (110 and 163 Regiments.) Triangularized by 1942-4 by detachment of 140 Regiment.
1 Independent Mixed Brigade
Originally an experimental combined arms formation with a large tank component, but most of the armor was pulled from the brigade in 1938.
7 Independent Mixed Brigade
Hopeh-Shantung border
Deactivated 1944-7 to provide cadre for 115 Division
8 Independent Mixed Brigade
Between Peiping and Tientsin
15 Brigade
15 Tank Regiment
1 Army
36 Division
south of Taiyuan
From Hirosaki. Activated 1939-2-7 as a "special" or wartime division compsed mostly of reservists. Composed of 222,223, and 224 Regiments. Converted to ocean division 1943-10. Redeployed to New Guinea 1943-12 and destroyed.
37 Division
From Kumamoto. Activated 1939-2-7 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 225,226, and 227 Regiments. Reorganized as a Type C "security division." Redeployed to French Indochina 1945-1
41 Division
From Utsunomiya. Activated 1939-6-30 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 237,238, and 239 Regiments. Redeployed to New Guinea 1943-2 and destroyed.
3 Independent Mixed Brigade
Paoteh (111.127E 39.017N)
5 Independent Mixed Brigade
Between Tsingtao and Weihsien
6 Independent Mixed Brigade
Along Tientsin-Pukov railroad
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 62 and 63 Divisions.
9 Independent Mixed Brigade
Participated in third Changsha campaign
16 Independent Mixed Brigade
Deactivated 1942-4 to provide cadre for 69 Division.
12 Army
32 Division
Activated 1939-2-7 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 210, 211, and 212 Regiments. Redeployed to Halmahera 1944-4
4 Independent Mixed Brigade
Along Chengtain railway in Shansi
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 62 Division.
10 Independent Mixed Brigade
Shantung
Deactivated 1942-2 to provide cadre for 59 Division.
15 Independent Mixed Brigade
West of Peiping
Deactivated 1943-6 to provide cadre for 63 Division.
Mongol Army
Or Mongolia Garrison Army. A puppet formation
36 Cavalry Group
Nine divisions of puppet cavalry
26 Division
From Nagoya. Activated 1939-9-30 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Redeployed to Philippines 1944-8 and destroyed at Leyte by 1944-12. The infantry group is listed by some sources as26 Brigade, and it consisted of 11, 12, and 13 Independent Regiments.
4 Cavalry Brigade
Japanese cavalry. Remained on horseback until the final surrender.
2 Independent Mixed Brigade
Assigned to 109 Division 1944-2 and destroyed in the battle of Iwo Jima
Manchurian Area Army
10 Division
"Himeji." Activated 1898-10-1. Composed of 10, 39, and 63 Regiments. This division got clobbered at Taierhchuang in 1938. It was destroyed again after redeploying to Luzon 1944-11.
28 Division
From Tokyo. Activated 1940-6-3 as a Type A division. Composed of 3, 30, and 36 Regiments, all from regular divisions undergoing triangularization. Redeployed to Ryukyu Islands 1944-7. Never saw combat.
29 Division
Liaoyang (123.183E 41.267N)
From Nagoya. Activated 1941-4-1 as a Type A division. Composed of 18,38 and 50 Regiments, all from regular divisions undergoing triangularization. Reorganized as ocean division, redeployed to Marianas 1944-2 and destroyed on Guam.
Kwantung Defense Army
Redesignated 44 Army on 1945-5-30.
Kwantung Air Brigade
36 Ki-57 Topsy
3 Army
9 Division
"Kanazawa". Activated 1898-10-1. Composed of 7, 19, and 35 Regiments.
A veteran division that participated in the First Shanghai Incident.
Moved to Okinawa in 1944-2 and to Formosa in 1945-2. Never saw combat in the Pacific.
12 Division
Tungning
"Kurume." Activated 1898-10-1. From southern Kyushu. Composed of 24, 46, and 48 Regiments. Participated in the Siberian Intervention in 1918. Regarded as an elite division.
Redeployed to Formosa 1944-11. Never saw combat.
1 Tank Group
Composed of 3, 5, and9 Tank Regiments. Absorbed into 1 Armored Division 1942-8.
9 Engineer Regiment
27 Engineer Regiment
4 Army
1 Division
"Tokyo". Activated 1881-5-14. "Exiled" to Manchuria in 1936 for its part in the attempted coup d'état of 26 February 1936. Composed of 1, 49, and 57 Regiments.
Redeployed to the Philippines 1944-9 and destroyed in the Leyte campaign by 1945-1.
14 Division
"Utsunomiya". Activated 6 Kuly 1905. Composed of 2, 15, and 59 Regiments. Reorganized as an ocean division, deployed to Palaus 1944-4 and isolated on Babelthuap.
57 Division
Activated 1940-7-10 as a Type B division. Composed of 52, 117, and 132 Regiments. Returned to Japan 1945-4
1 Border Guard Brigade
5 Border Guard Brigade
Holomoching
6 Border Guard Brigade
Nencheng
7 Border Guard Brigade
8 Border Guard Brigade
Manchurian puppet troops. Participated in the Nomonhan campaign.
13 Border Guard Brigade
5 Army
11 Division
Hulin (132.950E 45.764N)
"Zentsuji." Activated 1898-10-1. Recruited from Shikoku. Composed of 12, 43, and 44 Regiments. 44 Regiment was recruited from Kochi and saw combat at Shanghai.
Returned to Japan 1945-4 and saw no combat thereafter.
24 Division
From Asahigawa. Activated 1939-10-7 as a regular division. Composed of 22, 32, and 89 Regiments. 22 and 32 Regiments were available from triangularization of regular divisions. Redeployed to Okinawa 1944-4 and destroyed.
2 Tank Group
10 and11 Tank Regiments. Absorbed into 2 Armored Division 1942-6.
4 Border Guards Brigade
6 Border Guards Brigade
12 Border Guards Brigade
3 Cavalry Brigade
Paoching (132.211E 46.332N)
Deactivated 1945-2-28
7 Engineer Regiment
22 Engineer Regiment
24 Engineer Regiment
6 Army
23 Division
Activated 1938-7-11 as a regular division for permanent service in western Manchuria. Composed of 64, 71, and 72 Regiments. Nearly destroyed at Nomonhan. Redeployed to Luzon 1944-11 and destroyed.
20 Army
Keinei
Relocated to Hengyang by 1945.
8 Division
Suiyang
"Hirosaki." Activated 1898-10-1. Recruited from northern Honshu. Composed of 5, 17, and 31 Regiments.
Redeployed to Luzon 1944-8 and destroyed in the second Philippines campaign.
25 Division
From Osaka. Activated 1940-7-29 as a Type A division. Composed of 14,40, and 70 Regiments, all from regular divisions undergoing triangularization. Returned to Japan 1945-3
2 Border Guards Brigade
3 Border Guards Brigade
10 Border Guards Brigade
11 Border Guards Brigade
2 Air Division
2 Air Brigade
6 Light Air Regiment
27 Ki-57 Topsy
9 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
Spent most of the war in China. The most successful fighter unit versus the B-29 in China.
65 Light Air Regiment
36 Ki-30 Ann
8 Air Brigade
Redesignated 8 Air Division on 1942-6-1.
32 Light Air Regiment
27 Ki-32 Mary
33 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in Burma, New Guinea, and second Philippine campaigns. Took heavy losses in New Guinea.
58 Heavy Air Regiment
27 Ki-21 Sally
9 Air Brigade
Redesignated 9 Air Division in 1944-8.
6 Heavy Air Regiment
27 Ki-21 Sally
7 Heavy Air Regiment
27 Ki-21 Sally
13 Air Brigade
70 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
85 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in Ichi-go campaign
87 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in second Burma and Palembang campaigns
28 Independent Air Regiment
20 Ki-15 Babs
Responsible for executing the major land operations of the Centrifugal Offensive by which Japan hoped to seize southeast Asia before the Allies could react. This offensive was completely successful, achieving all of its objectives ahead of schedule and at smaller loss than anticipated. Subsequently renamed Southern Army
1 Parachute Brigade "Dash Forward"
Nyutabaru, Kyushu
Deployed to Southeast Asia in December 1941 following the outbreak of war.
1 Parchute Regiment
Also known as 1 Raiding Regiment.
2 Parachute Regiment
Also known as 2 Raiding Regiment. Conducted airborne attack on Palembang
21 Division
From Kanazawa. Activated 1938-4-4 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 62, 82, and 83 Regiments. Had seen two years' service in China. Redeployed to Indochina 1943-8.
38 Division
near Hong Kong
From Nagoya. Activated 1939-6-30 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. 20,000 men with motorized transport. Infantry group consisted of 228, 229, and 230 Regiments. Assigned to Southern Expeditionary Army from 23 Army for the attack on Hong Kong. The commander of 23 Army, Sakai Takashi, seems to have personally supervised the Hong Kong operation. Redeployed to Netherlands East Indies 1942-1, Guadalcanal 1942-10, and New Britain 1943-2. Reorganized 1944-7, dropping 230 Regiment and replacing it with 3 Mixed Regiment.
21 Independent Mixed Brigade
Eventually committed to New Guinea.
21 Air Regiment
May not have been activated until 1942-10, but was formed from units listed below. Participated in the first Philippines, second Burma, and Morotai campaigns.
82 Light Squadron
12 Ki-48 Lily
84 Squadron
83 Air Regiment
71 Squadron
10 Ki-51 Sonia
73 Squadron
89 Squadron
12 Ki-32 Mary
7 Air Regiment
Transport for 1 Parachute Brigade?
1 Squadron
2 Squadron
13 Squadron
12 Ki-57 Topsy (at Chiai)
6 Ki-59 Theresa (atDau Mot)
10 Independent Air Squadron
Ki-27 Nate. Redesignated 25 Air Regiment 1942-10.
Participated in the Hong Kong and Ichi-go campaigns.
47 Squadron
9 Ki-44 Tojo. Experimental squadron testing the new aircraft design. Redesignated 47 Air Regiment 1943-10.
Participated in Malaya, Burma, and Okinawa campaigns.
14 Army
Responsible for taking the Philippines. Redesignated 14 Area Army on 1944-7-28.
16 Division
"Kyoto." Activated 1905-7-18. Participated in the Rape of Nanking.
The infantry group consisted of 20 Regiment plus those listed below. The main body embarked with Lamon Bay Force numbered about 9000 men. This division had been recently triangularized and had not seen recent combat. Homma did not rate it very highly. Destroyed at Leyte in 1944-12.
9 Regiment
Kamijima Detachment (laterTakahashi Detachment).
33 Regiment
Kimura Detachment (2500 men). Responsible for seizing Legaspi. Included the infantry group headquarters from 16 Division. One battalion from the regiment was with the division main body at Naze.
48 Division
Composed of 1 and 2 Formosa Regiments and 47 Regiment. Activated 1940-11-30 in Formosa as a Type A division. Lacked battle experience, but 47 Regiment was a regular regiment released by the triangularization of 6 Division, and Homma considered 48 Division the best division in 14 Army. It was partially motorized and reinforced with artillery. Redeployed to Celebes andTimor 1942-4.
2 Formosa Regiment
Tanaka Detachment. 2200 men.
3 Battalion, 2 Formosa Regiment
Reinforced to 2200 men
65 Brigade
"Summer." From Hiroshima. 6500 mostly older reservists. Considered totally unprepared for combat by its own commander. Intended for garrison duty. Composed of 122, 141, and 142 Regiments.
4 Tank Regiment
Equipped with light tanks.
7 Tank Regiment
80-100 tanks, including "heavy" 13-ton tanks.
3 Independent Engineer Regiment
21 Independent Engineer Regiment
24 Airfield Battalion
15 Army
Responsible for taking Burma.
33 Division
central China
Activated 1939-3-25 as a "special" or wartime division composed mostly of reservists. Composed of 213, 214, and 215 Regiments. From Sendai
55 Division
on Thai border
From Shikoku. Activated 1940-7-10 as a Type B division. Composed of 112 Regiment; 143 Regiment, which was assigned to 25 Army; and 144 Regiment which was assigned to Imperial General Headquarters with the infantry group headquarters, 55 Brigade Group
16 Army
Responsible for taking the Netherlands East Indies. Would not deploy to the combat zone until the Philippines and Singapore were isolated.
2 Division
"Sendai." Activated 1881-5-14, and acquired a regional stereotype as solid and imperturbable but sluggish on the offensive. Composed of 4, 16, and 29 Regiments. Redeployed to Guadalcanal 1942-9 and nearly destroyed. Rebuilt and redeployed to southeast Asia 1945-1. Part of the division was committed to Burma 1945-3.
8 Tank Regiment
1 Engineer Regiment
25 Army
Responsible for taking Malaya
5 Division
"Hiroshima." Activated on 1881-5-14. One of the finest and most heavily mechanized divisions in the Japanese Army with specialist training in amphibious assault and experience with the Hangchow landings. Also one of the largest, since it was still a square division. Three of its four regiments were assigned to land at Singora and the fourth at Patani and drive down the west coast of Malaya. Redeployed to the Netherlands East Indies 1943-8.
9 Brigade
11 Regiment
Would deploy as second echelon to Singora by 1941-12-16.
41 Regiment
Recruited from Fukuyama. Formed the vanguard of 5 Division at Singora. Detached for service in the Philippines in early 1942, which had the effect of triangularizing 5 Division.
21 Brigade
21 Regiment
Did not deploy to Thailand until January 1942.
42 Regiment
Responsible for securing Patani.
18 Division
"Chrysanthemum." From Kurume. Activated 1937-9-9 as a "special" or watime division composed mostly of reservists, but considered itself one of the best divisions in the Japanese Army. Had considerable combat experience in China and had specialist training in amphibious assault. A square division, but one of its brigade headquarters was detached with one regiment to operate under 16 Army, leaving the other brigade headquarters and three regiments with the main body of the division. Redeployed to Burma 1942-4. Formally triangularized 1943-4.
23 Brigade
55 Regiment
56 Regiment
Responsible for seizing Kota Baharu.
35 Brigade
Kawaguchi Detachment was built around the brigade headquarters and 124 Regiment and was responsible for seizing points in west Borneo:Miri, Kuching, Brunei. It later fought at Guadalcanal.
114 Regiment
In reserve for probable deployment to Malaya.
124 Regiment
Formally detached from 18 Division 1943-4
56 Division
From Fukuoka and Nagasaki. This division was activated on 1940-7-10 as a Type B division but was slow to organize, and the brigade designated to become its infantry group (56 Brigade) was operating with 16 Army. Yamashita left the headquarters in Japan, where it was effectively part of the area army reserve. Deployed to Burma 1941-12, by which time it had been assigned 113 and 148 Regiments. The division became so accustomed to garrison life on the Yunnan border that the soldiers began to think and act like immigrant settlers.
56 Brigade
Designated to become the infantry group of 56 Division. Built around the brigade headquarters and 146 Regiment. Responsible for seizing Tarakan and Balikpapan.
Imperial Guards Division
on Thai border
Organized 1871-3 from 6200 samurai as the nucleus of the modern Japanese Army.
Infantry group consisted of 3, 4 and 5 Imperial Guards Regiments. Responsible for securing Thailand and the Kra Peninsula before joining the rest of 25 Army in Malaya. Redesignated 2 Imperial Guards Division on 1943-6, likely as a calculated insult for its behavior in Malaya.
3 Tank Group
Amounted to a full armored division, with four regiments. Three regiments (1, 2, and 6) were equipped with 37 M-97 and 20 M-95 tanks; the 14 Tank Regiment was equipped with 45 M-95 tanks.
143 Regiment
off Kra Isthmus
Detailed from its parent division to seize points along the Kra Isthmus. The regimental headquarters was embarked on a transport off Prachuap.Two battalions were embarked in two transports and one cargo ship off Jumbhorn. A third battalion was embarked in three transports off Nakhorn.
4 Independent Engineer Regiment
5 Independent Engineer Regiment
14 Independent Engineer Regiment
15 Independent Engineer Regiment
Later reassigned to South Seas Detachment
3 Air Division
3 Air Brigade
27 Light Air Regiment
23 Ki-51 Sonia
59 Air Regiment
21 Ki-43 Oscar
Participated in the Malaya,Netherlands East Indies, New Guinea, and Okinawa campaigns.
75 Light Air Regiment
25 Ki-48 Lily
90 Light Air Regiment
25 Ki-48 Lily
7 Air Brigade
12 Heavy Air Regiment
21 Ki-21 Sally
60 Heavy Air Regiment
39 Ki-21 Sally
51 Recon Squadron
64 Air Regiment
6 Ki-27 Nate
35 Ki-43 Oscar
Participated in Malaya, Netherlands East Indies and Burma campaigns
98 Heavy Air Regiment
42 Ki-21 Sally
10 Air Brigade
31 Light Air Regiment
24 Ki-30 Ann
77 Air Regiment
27 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in Thailand,Burma, and New Guinea campaigns. Annihilated at Wewak.
62 Heavy Air Regiment
22 Ki-21 Sally
70 Recon Squadron
12 Air Brigade
Aoki
1 Air Regiment
42 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in the Malaya, first Burma, New Georgia, Wewak, and second Philippines campaigns.
11 Air Regiment
39 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in the Malaya, first Burma, New Georgia, Wewak, and second Philippines campaigns.
50 Recon Squadron
81 Recon Squadron
5 Air Division
There is significant disagreement among various sources on the composition of this unit. We use the composition given by Francillon (1979).
4 Air Brigade
Redesignated 4 Air Division in 1943.
8 Light Air Regiment
27 Ki-48 Lily
9 Ki-15 Babs
2 Ki-46 Dinah
14 Heavy Air Regiment
18 Ki-21 Sally
16 Light Air Regiment
27 Ki-30 Ann
50 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in the first Philippine, Burma, and New Guinea campaigns
52 Recon Squadron
13 Ki-51 Sonia
74 Recon Squadron
10 Ki-36 Ida
76 Recon Squadron
11 Air Transport Squadron
12 Air Transport Squadron
9 Ki-57 Topsy. Not given in Francillon, but identified by Rottman and Takizawa (2005) as part of the parachute transport force.
4 Air Regiment
Strength unknown, but equipped with Ki-27 Nate. Repeatedly raided for cadre and saw very little front-line service until the final homeland defense.
24 Air Regiment
36 Ki-27 Nate
Participated in the first Philippines, Wewak, Biak, Morotai, second Philippines, and Okinawa campaigns. Suffered heavily in both the Biak and Morotai campaigns.