1. Korechika Anami was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II who was War Minister during the surrender of Japan.
19 Facts About Korechika Anami
1. 2.
Korechika Anami attended the 18th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry in December 1906.
3.
In November 1918, Korechika Anami graduated from the 30th class of the Army Staff College with the rank of captain.
4.
Korechika Anami was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from April 1919 and was promoted to major in February 1922.
5.
From August to December 1925, Korechika Anami was sent as a military attache to France.
6.
From August 1929 to August 1930, Korechika Anami served as Aide-de-camp to emperor Hirohito.
7.
From August 1933 to August 1934, Korechika Anami served as regimental commander of the 2nd Guard Regiment of the Imperial Guards.
8.
Korechika Anami was Commandant of the Tokyo Military Preparatory School, and promoted to major general in March 1935.
9.
From August 1936, Korechika Anami served as Chief of the Military Administration Bureau of the War Ministry.
10.
Korechika Anami became Chief of the Personnel Bureau in March 1937 and was promoted to lieutenant general in March the following year.
11.
Korechika Anami was recalled to Japan in October 1939 to assume the role of Vice-Minister of War in the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe.
12.
Korechika Anami belonged to the clique which supported the rise of Hideki Tojo to power in October 1941.
13.
However, in April 1941, Korechika Anami returned to China as Commander in Chief of the 11th Army, covering ongoing operations in central China.
14.
Korechika Anami was transferred to the Japanese Second Area Army in Manchukuo in July 1942.
15.
Korechika Anami was recalled to Japan December 1944 and became Inspector General of Army Aviation and Chief of the Army Aeronautical Department and concurrently served on the Supreme War Council.
16.
Korechika Anami's supporters suggested that he should vote against surrender or resign from the Cabinet.
17.
Korechika Anami informed the officers of the War Ministry of the decision and that as it was an imperial command, they must obey.
18.
Korechika Anami's refusal to support any action against the imperial decision was a key point in the failure of the Kyujo incident, an attempted military coup d'etat by junior officers to prevent the surrender announcement from being broadcast.
19.
Korechika Anami's sword, blood-splattered dress uniform, and suicide note are on display at the Yushukan Museum, next to Yasukuni Shrine, in Tokyo.