Aide-de-camp to the Emperor of Japan

In Japan, the aide-de-camp to the Emperor (侍従武官, jiju bukan) is a special military official whose primary duties are to report military affairs to the Emperor and act as a close attendant (chamberlain). From 1896 through to 1945, a small number of army and naval aides-de-camp were supplied to the Emperor due to his increased status and the risks to him during wartime.

Background

An excerpt from the 113th Imperial decree of Meiji-29 (1896) (明治29年勅令第113号):[1]

Aides-de-camp to the Emperor will perform attendant duties and will relay to him military matters and orders, be present at military reviews [in his name] and accompanying him to formal ceremonies and interviews.

Both Prime Minister Suzuki Kantaro (鈴木貫太郎) and Anami Korechika (阿南惟幾), army ministers at the end of the war, are said to have contributed to the Potsdam Declaration acceptance by means of their responsibilities to Emperor Showa as the grand chamberlain and aide-de-camp to the Emperor in 1929 (Showa-4).

Moreover, to the Crown Prince, the Imperial Family, and the mediatized Korean royal family (Oukouzoku (王公族), the former Korean imperial family), aides-de-camp were also provided. The military officers serving the Oukouzoku wore silver aiguillettes over their uniform.

List of aides-de-camp

Senior Aide-de-camp to the Emperor
No. Name Portrait Rank Term of Office
Start End
1 Okazawa Kuwashi Lieutenant general 3 April 1896 6 June 1904
General 6 June 1904 December 1908
2 Nakamura Satoru Lieutenant general 29 December 1908 August 1913
3 Uchiyama Kojirō Lieutenant general 22 August 1913 10 August 1915
General 10 August 1915 November 1922
4 Nara Takeji Lieutenant general 24 November 1922 20 August 1924
General 20 August 1924 April 1933
5 Honjō Shigeru Lieutenant general 6 April 1933 19 June 1933
General 19 June 1933 March 1936
6 Usami Okiie Lieutenant general 23 March 1936 May 1939
7 Hata Shunroku General 25 May 1939 August 1939
8 Hasunuma Shigeru Lieutenant general 31 August 1939 2 December 1940
General 2 December 1940 November 1945

See also

References
  1. 侍従武官ハ天皇ニ常侍奉仕シ軍事ニ関スル奏上奉答及命令ノ伝達ニ任シ観兵演習行幸其他祭儀礼典宴会謁見等ニ陪侍扈従ス
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