Marshal (Japan)
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Marshal (元帥 gensui?) (also frequently translated as Field marshal) was the highest title in the prewar Imperial Japanese Military.
The term gensui, which was used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy, was at first a rank held by Saigō Takamori as the Commander of the Armies in 1872. However in May 1873 Saigō was 'demoted' to General, with gensui thereafter no longer a rank as such, but a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor - thus similar in concept to the French title of Marshal of France.
While gensui would retain their actual ranks of general or admiral, they were entitled to wear an additional enamelled breast badge, depicting paulownia leaves between crossed army colour and naval ensign under the Imperial Seal of Japan. They were also entitled to wear a special samurai sword of an ancient design on ceremonial occasions.
In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to 5 generals and 3 admirals. In the Taisho period it was awarded to 6 generals and 6 admirals, and in the Showa period it was awarded to 6 generals and 4 admirals. The higher title of Dai Gensui was comparable to the title of Generalissimo.
Note that several were promoted the same year they died - these were posthumous promotions.
| Field Marshal | Name | (Birth-Death) | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | 19 July 1872 | Saigō Takamori | (1827-1877) | Kagoshima |
| 1 | 20 January 1898 | Prince Yamagata Aritomo | (1836-1922) | Yamaguchi |
| 2 | 20 January 1898 | Prince Komatsu Akihito | (1846-1903) | Imperial Family |
| 3 | 20 January 1898 | Duke Oyama Iwao | (1842-1916) | Kagoshima |
| 4 | 31 January 1906 | Marquis Nozu Michitsura | (1840-1908) | Kagoshima |
| 5 | 24 October 1911 | Count Oku Yasukata | (1847-1930) | Fukuoka |
| 6 | 9 January 1914 | Count Hasegawa Yoshimichi | (1850-1924) | Yamaguchi |
| 7 | 9 January 1914 | Prince Fushimi Sadanaru | (1858-1923) | Imperial Family |
| 8 | 9 January 1914 | Baron Kawamura Kageaki | (1850-1926) | Kagoshima |
| 9 | 24 June 1916 | Count Terauchi Masatake | (1852-1919) | Yamaguchi |
| 10 | 12 December 1919 | Prince Kan'in Kotohito | (1865-1945) | Imperial Family |
| 11 | 27 April 1922 | Baron Uehara Yusaku | (1856-1933) | Miyazaki |
| 12 | 27 January 1929 | Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi | (1873-1929)) | Imperial Family |
| 13 | 8 August 1932 | Prince Nashimoto Morimasa | (1875-1951) | Imperial Family |
| 14 | 3 May 1933 | Baron Muto Nobuyoshi | (1868-1933) | Saga |
| 15 | 21 June 1943 | Duke Terauchi Hisaichi | (1879-1946) | Tokyo |
| 16 | 21 June 1943 | Sugiyama Hajime | (1875-1945) | Fukuoka |
| 17 | 2 June 1944 | Hata Shunroku | (1879-1962) | Fukushima |
