Imperial Youth Corps
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The Imperial Youth Corps was the elite para-military unit of pre-war Japan's Imperial Youth Federation.
The branch was marked by the most loyal and fanatical membership. Members received a deep political indoctrination and extensive military training. Their responsibilities included being the first line of defense of their own organization and national defense along with official authorities. They were obliged to use weapons provided by the organization under orders from their Chief Kingoro Hashimoto in case of defense against exterior aggression.
They also had the responsibility of watching, along with the Tonarigumi (Resident Committees) organization, their local area, and to find any local or foreign ideological enemy. They were also asked to work in civil defense or support local military countermeasures; the most advanced pupils were transferred to the Military Academy or made local political leaders in the Kodoha Party.
In the last stages of conflict the membership of unit receiving military training in the use of special anti-tank weapons "Lunge AT Mine" (anti-tank mine in Bamboo pole), light machine guns, etc for conversion into potential reserve units in the decisive combat in the Japanese homeland. It is possible that some members in the group took part in real combat in the South Pacific Mandate, Okinawa, Chosen, Karafuto, and Kwantung during the end of the Pacific War, alongside Japanese military forces.
The Imperial Youth Corps organization was accused of committing war crimes or collaboration with Kempeitai and Unit 731 in Manchukuo and allegedly aided in experiments on humans in such lands and also in Japan proper.
