Katō Kanji

Katō Hiroharu, alternatively named Katō Kanji (23 December 1870 – 9 February 1939), was a Japanese naval officer during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. The first name 'Kanji' was used in his later life after he became famous, likely just before he was promoted to rear-admiral. He served as the Chief of Navy General Staff from 22 January 1929 to 11 June 1930.

Biography

Katō Hiroharu was born in Fukui City in Fukui on 2 November in the 3rd year of Meiji (23 December 1870) as the eldest son of one of the first navy officers, Katō Naokata, of Fukui Domain in Imperial Japan before the Abolition of the han system. On 17 July 1891, he graduated top of the class from Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, 18th class. He was assigned to cruiser ''Naniwa'' as a cadet as of 20 May 1892 and experienced two tours to Kingdom of Hawaii. While at Honolulu on the second tour, he was promoted to ensign on 1 March 1894. He was assigned as a navigator on cruiser ''Hashidate''.
After returning to Yokosuka Naval Base, he completed the Gunnery training program on corvette ''Ryūjō'' on 1 March 1896, which later became the Gunnery School of Naval War College. At the same time, he was assigned as a navigator on cruiser ''Chiyoda''.

In February 1896, he married Murata Chiyoko from Fukui Domain, and on 24 October 1896, he was appointed as a member of the receiving commission sent to London for battleship ''Fuji''. Promoted to squad leader on ''Fuji'', Chief Navigation Officer of IJN ''Tatsuta'', and then assigned to Consulate General of Japan in Saint Petersburg.

He entered into Russo-Japanese War in 1904 as the Chief Gunnery Officer of IJN ''Asahi'' and experimented with a salvo-firing central control of main guns during the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 10 August 1904, contributing to the killing of admiral Wilgelm Vitgeft and his staff onboard Russian flagship ''Tsesarevich'' after the Japanese fleet flagship ''Mikasa'' handed over the leading battle position to ''Asahi''. His primitive voice-command control system was adopted by the entire Combined Fleet, and he was promoted to the Chief Gunnery Officer of flagship ''Mikasa'' in March 1905.

He was a naval attaché at the Embassy of Japan in London in 1909. He had opposed the signing of the 1930 Treaty of London, which established limitations on arms between Japan, the United States and Great Britain. In 1930 he resigned rather than attend a dinner in honour of US Ambassador William Richards Castle Jr., in protest against the naval restrictions negotiated with him. Kato fought against the treaty limitations, and the treaty of 1936, finally dying after writing his memoirs, widely regarded as a treatise on why Japan was disadvantaged by the treaties. His actions prevented him from advancing in rank and probably cost him a seat in the government. He had an active antagonistic relationship with Yamamoto, who used his influence to prevent Kato from advancing.

Imperial Japanese Court Ranks

*Eighth Rank (16 April 1894)
*Junior Sixth Rank (20 May 1903)
*Sixth Rank (30 November 1906)
*Fourth Rank (31 July 1923)
*Third Rank (16 September 1929)
*Junior Second Rank (1 October 1934)
*Second Rank (9 February 1939)

Awards

*Order of the Rising Sun, 6th class with Silver Rays (18 November 1895)
*Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class, Gold Rays with Rosette (29 November 1904)
*Memory of the Prince's visit to Korea Medal (18 April 1909)
*Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class, Gold and Silver Star (26 September 1918)
*Order of the Crown of Italy, Grand Officer (3 December 1920)
*Order of the Crown of Romania, Grand Officer (3 December 1920)
*Order of the Rising Sun, Grand Cordon with Golden Rays (28 December 1929)
*Set of Golden Cups with Chrysanthemum crest (4 November 1935)
*Légion d'honneur of French Third Republic, Grand-officier (20 August 1936) "Kanpo" No. 2897 "Investiture and Appointments" (in Japanese) 27 August 1936.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Katō, Kanji
People of Meiji-period Japan
Military personnel from Fukui Prefecture
Imperial Japanese Navy admirals
Japanese military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War
Japanese military personnel of World War I
1870 births
1939 deaths
Japanese naval attachés