- Kouji Sakai
Infobox Military Person
name=Kōji Sakai
lived=4 November 1885 -2 March 1973
placeofbirth=Aichi prefecture ,Japan
placeofdeath=
caption=General Kōji Sakai
nickname=
allegiance=Empire of Japan
branch=
serviceyears=1905 -1945
rank=General
commands=IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade ,IJA 109th Division
unit=
battles=Second Sino-Japanese War World War II
awards=
family=
laterwork=nihongo|Kōji Sakai|酒井鎬次|Sakai Kōji|extra=4 November 1885 -2 March ,1973 was a general in theImperial Japanese Army during theSecond Sino-Japanese War Biography
A native of
Aichi Prefecture , Sakai graduated from the 18th class of theImperial Japanese Army Academy in 1905, and was commissioned into the Imperial Guard's 4th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the 24th class of theArmy War College (Japan) in 1912.After serving in a staff position within the personnel department of the
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff , Sakai was dispatched toFrance as amilitary attaché from 1915-1917, and was thus able to observe the fighting inWorld War I firsthand as an official observer from the Japanese government.On his return to Japan, Sakai was again assigned to staff positions, but due to his fluency in French and European experience, was selected to participate in the Japanese delegation to the
Versailles Peace Treaty negotiations. His rise through the ranks was steady and rapid thereafter:major in 1921,lieutenant colonel in 1925,colonel in 1929, andmajor general in 1931. [Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II]From 1927-1929, Sakai served on Japan's delegation to
League of Nations . On his return to Japan, he was given command of the IJA 22nd Infantry Regiment from 1929-1931 and served as an instructor at the Army War College from 1931-1934. He was Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy from 1934-1936.In 1936, Sakai was appointed commander of the IJA 24th Infantry Brigade, and was assigned to
China with tensions rising in the prelude to theSecond Sino-Japanese War . From 1937-1938, he was commander of theIJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade , which participated inOperation Chahar to seizeChahar Province from China.After the success of that operation, Sakai was transferred to rear echelon operations as commander of the IJA 7th Depot Division in 1938 and the
IJA 109th Division in 1939. He retired from active service in 1940. During the final stages of thePacific War , he was recalled to active duty, but served in a largely advisory capacity to the Army General Staff from 1943-1944.References
Books
* Jowett, Phillip S., Rays of The Rising Sun, Armed Forces of Japan’s Asian Allies 1931-45, Volume I: China & Manchuria, 2004. Helion & Co. Ltd., 26 Willow Rd., Solihul, West Midlands, England.
External links
*cite web
last = Ammenthorp
first = Steen
url = http://www.generals.dk/general/Sakai/Koji/Japan.html
title = Sakai, Koji
work = The Generals of World War II
* [http://imperialarmy.hp.infoseek.co.jp/general/colonel05/sakai01.html Imperial Japanese Army Bio site (Japanese)]Notes
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