Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army

Imperial Japanese Military
Administration
Imperial General Headquarters
Imperial Japanese Army (Dai Nippon Teikoku Rikugun)
Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Railways and Shipping Section Uniforms
Imperial Japanese Navy (Dai Nippon Teikoku Kaigun)
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces Major battles List of ships List of aircraft Main admirals
Rank insignia
Army rank insignia Naval rank insignia
History
Military History of Japan during World War II

The following tables present the rank insignia of the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II. These designs were worn on shoulders as passants (shoulder straps) between the years 1911 and 1938, then on collars afterwards until 1945, when the army was dissolved.

The same officer ranks were used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy, the only distinction being the placement of the word Rikugun (army) or Kaigun (navy) before the rank. Thus, for example, a captain in the navy shared the same rank designation as that of a colonel in the army: Taisa (colonel), so the rank of Rikugun Taisa denoted an army colonel, while the rank of Kaigun daisa denoted a naval captain.

Officer ranks

Imperial Japanese Army ranks	Collar insignia	Usual command
Grand Marshal Daigensui-Rikugun-Taishō (大元帥、陸軍大将)		Imperial Army
OF-10 Marshal Gensui-Rikugun-Taishō (元帥、陸軍大将)	As General, plus enamelled breast badge:	General army
OF-9 General Rikugun-Taishō (陸軍大将)		General army Area army
OF-8 Lieutenant General Rikugun-Chūjō (陸軍中将)		Area army Army Division
OF-7 Major General Rikugun-Shōshō (陸軍少将)		Division Brigade
OF-5 Colonel Rikugun-Taisa (陸軍大佐)		Brigade Regiment
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel Rikugun-Chūsa (陸軍中佐)		Regiment Battalion
OF-3 Major Rikugun-Shōsa (陸軍少佐)		Battalion
OF-2 Captain Rikugun-Tai-i (陸軍大尉)		Battalion Company
OF-1 First Lieutenant Rikugun-Chūi (陸軍中尉)		Company Platoon
OF-1 Second Lieutenant Rikugun-Shōi (陸軍少尉)		Platoon

Warrant Officer & Enlisted ranks

All-forces ranks	Collar insignia	Usual command
OR-9 Warrant Officer Jun-i (Associate Officer) (准尉)		Platoon
OR-7 Sergeant Major Sōchō (曹長)
OR-6 Sergeant Gunsō (軍曹)		Squad
OR-5 Corporal Gochō (伍長)
OR-4 Second Corporal Gochō Kimmu jōtōhei (Senior Soldier acting as Corporal) (伍長勤務上等兵) Lance-Corporal Heichō (Leading Soldier) (兵長)
OR-3 Superior Private Jōtōhei (Senior Soldier) (上等兵)		None
OR-2 Private 1st Class Ittōhei (Soldier First Class) (一等兵)
OR-1 Private Nitōhei (Soldier Second Class) (二等兵)

See also

• Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy
• Comparative military ranks
• Imperial Japanese Army
• Imperial Japanese Navy
• Military rank