Allegiance Empire of Japan Rank Major General | Service/branch Imperial Japanese Army Name Toshinari Shoji | |
 | ||
Died December 10, 1974(1974-12-10) (aged 84) Commands held 230th Infantry Regiment Battles/wars World War II
Netherlands East Indies campaign
Guadalcanal campaign | ||
Toshinari (or Toshishige) Shōji (東海林 俊成, Shōji Toshinari (Toshishige), October 27, 1890 – December 10, 1974) was a major general and in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific campaign in World War II.
Biography
A native of Sendai, Shōji graduated from the 25th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy. He subsequently graduated from the Army Staff College in 1912.
Shōji was promoted to rank of colonel on August 1, 1939. Beginning in 1941, he commanded the IJA 230th Infantry Regiment, sometimes called the Shōji Detachment, which was part of the 38th Division. From February through March 1942, this unit participated in the invasion of Java as part of the Netherlands East Indies campaign. In October 1942, he and his regiment were deployed to Guadalcanal as part of the strategically significant Guadalcanal Campaign. After participating to a minor degree in the Battle for Henderson Field, Shōji's regiment took heavy losses in the Koli Point action, Carlson's Patrol, and Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse.
Surviving the eventual Japanese defeat in the campaign and withdrawal from Guadalcanal, Shōji was promoted to major general in March 1944. After his return to the Japanese home islands in 1945, he was appointed to command the Sendai District under the Japanese Fifth Area Army in the final stages of World War II.