Shigetaro Shimada

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Shigetaro Shimada

Shigetaro Shimada (嶋田繁太郎 Shimada Shigetaro) (September 24, 1883 – June 7, 1976) was a Japanese admiral and, as Naval Minister of the Imperial Japanese Navy, was one of the leading members of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Following graduation from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in November 1904, Shimada rapidly rose up the ranks becoming an ensign in August 1905 and lieutenant (jg) in September 1907. After graduating with highest honors from the Naval War College in December 1913, Shimada was promoted to lieutenant commander in December 1915 and assigned as an assistant naval attaché in Rome, Italy during World War I.

Returning to Japan after the war, Shimada held various staff positions in the 1920s as a staff officer the Naval General Staff in 1920, an instructor at the Naval War College in 1923 and commander of the 7th Submarine Division in 1926. Briefly given commands of the IJN Tama and the IJN Hiei in 1928, Shimada was promoted to rear admiral in November the following year and assigned as chief of staff to the 2nd Fleet. After Shimada was transferred to 1st Fleet in December 1930, he would serve as commandant of the Submarine School, before being assigned to the 3rd Fleet in February 1932.

Returning to the Naval General Staff as a senior staff officer in June 1932, he would serve as Chief of the Third and later served concurrently as Chief of the First Department from November 1932 until October 1933 when he assumed total command. Becoming Vice Chief of the Naval General Staff in December 1933, Shimada was again promoted to vice admiral in November 1934.

During the late-1930s Shimada's positions included commandant of the Kure Naval District, commander of the Second and China Fleets as well as commanding officer of the Yokosuka Naval Station before being named Minister of the Navy in October 1941 (during which time, Shimada had knowledge of the Pearl Harbor attack plan and approved its implementation). Although largely regarded as a submissive lackey for his reputation of submissiveness and unquestioning loyalty under Premier Hideki Tojo (in which his unpopularity and criticism among the Japanese naval command would refer to him as Tojo's "Yurufun" (or "Droopy Drawers"), Tojo’s "tea servant" and "briefcase carrier" by other naval officers), Shimada played an important role in working with Tojo in coordinating military operations between the Army and Navy during the early years of the war.

After a series of major Japanese losses, Emperor Hirohito had lost confidence in the Army and Naval Chiefs of Staff. As such, Tojo was able to dismiss Chief of the Army General Staff Hajime Sugiyama and Chief of the Naval General Staff Osami Nagano. Tojo assumed the role of Army Chief while Shimada became Naval Chief on February 21, 1944. This role, coupled with his position as Naval Minister, virtually made Shimada supreme commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Shimada’s power grab, however, ultimately gained him many enemies in the naval general staff and the emperor’s court. Shimada’s opponents continuously pressured Emperor Hirohito to dismiss him, citing that the navy was losing battle after battle under Shimada’s direction. Hirohito finally made his displeasure with Shimada known to Tojo in July 1944, shortly after the fall of Saipan. Tojo immediately asked for Shimada’s resignation, and the Naval Minister complied being replaced as Navy Minister by Mitsumasa Yonai on July 17 and as Chief of the General Navy Staff on August 2. Although appointed to the Supreme War Council, Shimada retired from active duty in January 1945 remaining in an advisory capacity for the remainder of the war. Shimada was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and remained imprisoned until being released on parole in 1955.