Country Empire of Japan Role Army Group Headquarters Tokyo Branch Imperial Japanese Army | Type Infantry Garrison/HQ Tokyo Founded 1941 | |
Active July 5, 1941 - April 8, 1945 Similar Imperial Japanese Army, Second General Army, Japanese Seventeenth Area Army, Japanese Sixteenth Area Army, Japanese Twelfth Area Army | ||
The General Defense Command (防衛総司令部, Bōei Soshireibu) was a headquarters organization equivalent to an army group within the Imperial Japanese Army established to control all land and air units stationed within Japan proper, Korea and Taiwan during the Pacific War.
History
The General Defense Command was established on July 5, 1941 under the direct command of the Emperor via the Imperial General Headquarters. For administrative, recruiting and accounting purposes, Japan was divided into six army districts, each with a garrison force equivalent to an army corps:
The General Defense Command was also responsible for anti-aircraft defenses, and for organizing civil defense training.
On April 8, 1945, in preparation for Operation Downfall (or Operation Ketsugō (決号作戦, Ketsugō sakusen) in Japanese terminology), the General Defense Command was dissolved, and its duties assumed by the new First General Army and Second General Army.