WAR DEPARTMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL
TM-E 30-480

This manual supersedes TM 30-480, 21 September 1942.


HANDBOOK ON JAPANESE MILITARY FORCES

WAR DEPARTMENT • 1 OCTOBER 1944


RESTRICTED. DISSEMINATION OF RESTRICTED MATTER.--The information contained in restricted documents and the essential characteristics of restricted material may be given to any person known to be in the service of the United States and to persons of undoubted loyalty and discretion who are cooperating in Government work, but will not be communicated to the public or to the press except by authorized military public relations agencies. (See also par. 23b, AR 380-5, 15 Mar 1944.)


United States Government Printing Office

Washington : 1944


TM-E 38-480
1 OCT 44
RESTRICTED

CONTENTS


CHAPTER I. RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING.
  Section I. General 1
  Section II. Conscription system 2
  Section III. Procurement of officers 4
  Section IV. Training 5
  Section V. Promotion, pay and awards 7
  Section VI. Morale, discipline, and efficiency 8
 
CHAPTER II. JAPANESE MILITARY SYSTEM.
  Section I. The Japanese High Command 10
  Section II. Territorial organizations, including depot divisions 14
  Section III. Field replacement system 15
 
CHAPTER III. FIELD ORGANIZATION.
  Section I. Major organizations 16
  Section II. Arms (nondivisional) 44
  Section III. Services (nondivisional) 49
  Section IV. Military Intelligence 52
  Section V. Reorganization 52
 
CHAPTER IV. JAPANESE AIR SERVICE.
  Section I. General 53
  Section II. Organization of the Japanese Army Air Service 53
  Section III. Strategic doctrine 55
  Section IV. Japanese air tactics 56
  Section V. Equipment 58
 
CHAPTER V. SPECIAL FORCES.
  Section I. Naval land forces 76
  Section II. Task forces and special defense units 80
 
CHAPTER VI. JAPANESE MILITARY POLICE. 83
 
CHAPTER VII. TACTICS OF THE JAPANESE ARMY.
  PART I. General tactical doctrine 85
  Section I. General 85
  Section II. Offensive 85
  Section III. Defensive 99
  Section IV. Retrograde movements 103
  Section V. Employment of tanks and mechanized units 106
  PART II. Application of tactics 108
  Section VI. Antiaircraft 108
  Section VII. Antitank defense 114
  Section VIII. Jungle warfare 120
  Section IX. Small island defense 127
  Section X. Coastal defense 139
  Section XI. Japanese joint operations 166
  Section XII. Japanese parachute troops 170
 
CHAPTER VIII. SUPPLY, MOVEMENTS, AND EVACUATION.
  Section I. Supply 171
  Section II. Movements 179
  Section III. Evacuation 184
 
CHAPTER IX. WEAPONS.
  Section I. Introduction 187
  Section II. Infantry weapons 187
  Section III. Artillery 220
  Section IV. Tanks and armored cars 238
  Section V. Chemical warfare 256
 
CHAPTER X. EQUIPMENT.
  Section I. Introduction 271
  Section II. Infantry equipment 271
  Section III. Artillery equipment 279
  Section IV. Signal equipment 303
  Section V. Engineer equipment 322
  Section VI. Cavalry and reconnaissance 334
  Section VII. Automotive and land transport equipment 334
  Section VIII. Tentage 345
  Section IX. Medical equipment 345
 
CHAPTER XI. UNIFORMS, PERSONAL EQUIPMENT, AND INSIGNIA 348
 
CHAPTER XII. CONVENTIONAL SIGNS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  Section I. Introduction 354
  Section II. Geographic signs 355
  Section III. Military signs 358
  Section IV. Military abbreviations 384
 
CHAPTER XIII. MILITARY TERMS AND CHARACTERS 388
 
APPENDIX SUPPLEMENTAL DATA 400


Foreword

1. This handbook on Japanese Military Forces (TM-E 30-480) has been prepared by the United States War Department, with the assistance and cooperation of representatives from the following headquarters:

In general, it represents the agreed views of these headquarters at the time this handbook was written.

For the most part, the material contained in this handbook is based on information obtained in operations to 30 June 1944. This has been supplemented by study of Japanese Army manuals and other official and unofficial documents published by the Japanese before and after the beginning of hostilities, and by reports and observations of American and British military attacheés and observers.

2. PURPOSE AND SCOPE. The purpose of this handbook, which constitutes a revision of TM 30-480, 21 September 1942, is to give in a single publication the broad outlines as well as pertinent details of the organization, equipment, and training of the Japanese Army. In addition, Japanese tactical doctrines and techniques, as set forth in their manuals and observed in action, are discussed. The handbook is not intended to be complete or final; detailed information on particular subjects may be found in the special publications already available or in preparation by the various agencies and commands concerned.

3. LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES. In cases where confusion might result, Romanji or other romanized form of the Japanese terms is given, together with the translation. A Japanese-English and English-Japanese glossary of the more important items is also included.

Because of differences in American, British, and Japanese terminology for certain army units, a translation of the Japanese terms has been used throughout. Thus units of all arms and services are called regiments, battalions, companies, platoons, and squads (sections). For American readers the change in terminology should cause no particular confusion except that some Japanese regimental organizations, especially in the Cavalry and the Engineers, correspond more closely to battalions in that they contain only three or four companies.

Since the handbook is intended for use by both American and British forces, commonly accepted or understood military terms of both nations have been used. Where no common term exists, both British and American terms appear, the British in parentheses.

4. REVISIONS. It is intended to keep the handbook up to date with necessary revisions and corrections as further information becomes available. In order that this may be facilitated, it is requested that all suggestions for changes or additions be communicated to the Military Intelligence Division, War Department, Washington 25, D.C.

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Figure 1. Japanese infantry soldier.

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Transcribed and formatted by Patrick Clancey & Larry Jewell, HyperWar Foundation