Country Empire of Japan Role Corps Nickname(s) Oki (沖, Offshore) Founded 1942 Engagement Solomon Islands campaign | Type Infantry Garrison/HQ Rabaul Headquarters Rabaul, Papua New Guinea Branch Imperial Japanese Army | |
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Active May 18, 1942 – August 15, 1945 Similar Imperial Japanese Army, Eighteenth Army, Japanese Eighth Area Army, Sixteenth Army, Fifteenth Army | ||
The Japanese 17th Army (第17軍, Dai-jū nana gun) was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.
History
The Japanese 17th Army was formed on May 18, 1942 under the Japanese Eighth Area Army of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group for the specific task of opposing landings by Allied forces in Japanese-occupied Solomon Islands. It was initially headquartered on Rabaul and participated in the Guadalcanal and New Guinea campaigns of the South West Pacific theatre of World War II.
After General Hitoshi Imamura took over command of the Japanese Eighth Area Army the 17th Army was responsible primarily for the defense of Bougainville. It was trapped and cut off from reinforcements and re-supply during the Bougainville campaign (1943–45), and was forced to live off the land, hiding in jungle caves for most of the rest of the war.