was a general and Deputy Chief of Staff of the
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. He was also the younger brother of General
Masakazu Kawabe.
Biography
Born in
Toyama prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...
, Kawabe graduated from the 24th class of the
Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1912, with a specialty in
field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support army, armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement.
Until the ear ...
. After completing his studies at the Artillery and Engineers School in 1915, and later the 33rd class of the
Army War College in 1921, he eventually served in the Operations Division of the Army General Staff from 1922 to 1925.
Assigned as resident staff officer in
Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
,
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
in 1926, Kawabe studied Soviet affairs for two years before his return to Japan. Kawabe, then a
major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
, became an instructor in tactics at the Army War College between 1928 and 1929, before being reassigned to the
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff. After three years, Kawabe was stationed in
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
as a
until 1934, when he was sent to the
Kwantung Army
The Kwantung Army (Japanese language, Japanese: 関東軍, ''Kantō-gun'') was a Armies of the Imperial Japanese Army, general army of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1919 to 1945.
The Kwantung Army was formed in 1906 as a security force for th ...
as a staff officer and chief of its intelligence section. He was promoted to
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
in 1935. While serving with the Kwantung Army, Kawabe became involved in the
Japanese government's efforts, through local Chinese
warlord
Warlords are individuals who exercise military, Economy, economic, and Politics, political control over a region, often one State collapse, without a strong central or national government, typically through informal control over Militia, local ...
Li Shouxin, to gain control of
Chahar Province
Chahar (; ), also known as Chaha'er, Chakhar or Qahar, was a province of the Republic of China in existence from 1912 to 1936, mostly covering territory in what is part of Eastern Inner Mongolia. It was named after the Chahar Mongols.
Administ ...
in northeast
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of China. Its border includes two-thirds of the length of China's China–Mongolia border, border with the country of Mongolia. ...
. After serving briefly as commander of a field artillery regiment in the
Imperial Guards Division, Kawabe was appointed to the General Staff as a member of the War Leadership Council and, following the
Marco Polo Bridge Incident, was one of the few senior officers who supported General
Kanji Ishiwara in opposing Japan's further involvement in China.
After promotion to
major general in 1938, Kawabe was again posted overseas as a military attaché, this time to
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and to
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
,
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
for two years. He was recalled to Japan shortly before Japan's entry into World War II. In early 1941, he was assigned to the
General Defense Command. He was promoted to
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
in 1941 and head of the
Inspectorate General of Aviation. In 1943, he was given command of the
IJA 2nd Air Force, but returned to staff assignments in 1944.
Kawabe was appointed Deputy Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff in April 1945, in which capacity he headed the Japanese delegation to
Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
for negotiations with General
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...
regarding
Japan's surrender.
References
Books
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Notes
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawabe, Torashiro
1890 births
1960 deaths
People from Toyama Prefecture
Imperial Japanese Army generals of World War II