General Defense Command

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:

• Eastern District Army – HQ in Tokyo and responsible for the Kantō region and northern Honshū
• Western District Army – HQ in Fukuoka and responsible for southwestern Honshū, Shikoku and the Ryukyu Islands.
• Northern District Army – HQ in Sapporo and responsible for Hokkaidō and Karafuto.
• Central District Army – HQ in Osaka and responsible for central Honshū.
• Chosen Army – HQ in Keijo and responsible for Korea
• Taiwan Army – HQ in Taihoku and responsible for Taiwan.

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.