List of Japanese infantry divisions

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.

Total amount of IJA divisions, including infantry, armor, parachute, anti-air and air-service, from 1888 to 1945

Guard Divisions

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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

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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

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  • 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
 
 
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