List of Japanese infantry divisions

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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.

File:IJA total amount of divisions.png
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
7
5
6
4
3
2
1
4
1GD
2GD
3GD
354
344
322
321
316
312
308
303
234
231
230
229
225
355
224
222
221
216
214
212
209
206
202
201
157
156
155
154
153
152
151
150
147
146
145
144
143
142
140
93
89
86
84
81
77
73
72
57
351
44
42
28
25
11
205
7
64
66
67
95
96
97
98
101
107
109
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
Independent Mixed Brigade
Infantry Division (including guard divisions)
Independent Armored Brigade
Armored division
Japanese infantry and armored units in Home Islands, 15 August 1945