12 Facts About Takaji Wachi

Takaji Wachi was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

Takaji Wachi attended military preparatory schools in Hiroshima and was a graduate of the 21st class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1914.

Takaji Wachi specialized in Chinese studies and was fluent in the Chinese language.

Takaji Wachi was assigned as military attache to southern China from 1925 to 1927, as resident officer in Jinan from 1928 to 1929 under the IJA 6th Division during the Jinan Incident.

Takaji Wachi encouraged warlords in south China, especially Guangxi province, to revolt against the Kuomintang government of Chiang Kai-shek based in Nanjing.

Takaji Wachi became a colonel in 1937, and was assigned to command the IJA 44th Infantry Regiment of the Kwantung Army during the Battle of Shanghai.

Takaji Wachi remained in China after start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 attached to the Japanese China Garrison Army staff.

Takaji Wachi engaged in efforts to negotiate with the Chinese to end the war and tried to communicate with General He Yingqin, the National Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff, via a Chinese agent in 1938, but these efforts failed.

Takaji Wachi was transferred to Taiwan in 1938, and back to Japan, where he was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from 1938 to 1939.

Takaji Wachi returned to China from 1939 to 1940 on the staff of the Central China Expeditionary Army.

In February 1942, Takaji Wachi was transferred to become chief-of-staff of the IJA 14th Army in the Philippines, which participated in the final assault on the American fortress island of Corregidor.

Takaji Wachi was convicted by a military tribunal in Yokohama and sentenced to six years at hard labor at Sugamo Prison.