14 Facts About Hitoshi Imamura

Hitoshi Imamura was a Japanese general who served in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, and was convicted of war crimes.

Hitoshi Imamura graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1907 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry on 26 December 1907.

Hitoshi Imamura was promoted to lieutenant in November 1910 and attended the Army War College in 1915.

Hitoshi Imamura was promoted to captain in 1917 and was sent to England as a military attache the following year.

Hitoshi Imamura was promoted to major in August 1922 and to lieutenant-colonel in August 1926.

In March 1935, Hitoshi Imamura was promoted from regimental commander to brigade commander of the IJA 40th Infantry Brigade with the rank of major general.

Hitoshi Imamura was assigned as deputy chief of staff of the Kwantung Army in Manchukuo in March 1936.

Hitoshi Imamura was recalled to Japan to assume the post of commandant of the Toyama Army Infantry School from 1937 to 1938.

Hitoshi Imamura was appointed commander in chief of the Twenty Third Army.

Hitoshi Imamura became the commander of the Sixteenth Army in November 1941 and was directed to lead that army in the invasion of the Dutch East Indies.

Hitoshi Imamura adopted an unusually lenient policy towards the local population of the former Dutch East Indies, which was often in conflict with general opinions and plans of the senior staff of the Southern Army and Imperial General Headquarters.

Hitoshi Imamura was detained at Rabaul by the Australian Army, as he and troops under his command were accused of war crimes, including the execution of Allied prisoners of war.

Hitoshi Imamura served his imprisonment at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo until he was released in 1954.

Hitoshi Imamura considered his imprisonment too light with respect to his responsibility for the crimes of his subordinates, so he had a replica of the prison built in his garden, and he stayed there until his death in 1968.