The Japanese Naval Ministry was established at the end of the 19th century, along with the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The IJN was broadly based on the British Royal Navy and initially its major vessels were built in the United Kingdom. Between 1894 and 1905, military spending on the part of Japan constituted roughly 40% of total government spending. By the time the Russo-Japanese War broke out, the Japanese Navy was large enough, and well-equipped enough, to defeat Russia. Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Russia and Japan in Manchuria and Korea. ...

The Navy was less politically influential than the Army, but they prided themselves on their cosmopolitan attitudes, breadth of experience, and logical approach to problems. Most Navy Ministers were Admirals who had retired from active service. However, the Ministry was also separate, in terms of operations and authority, from the Navy General Staff. The Imperial Japanese Army (大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was in existence from the Meiji Reformation to the end of World War II. It was created to replace the traditional Japanese samurai with a modern Western-style conscript army. ... The term cosmopolitan refers to an individual who retains cultural roots in his or her country of origin, yet has adopted a wide taste for other cultures, and so lives both a local and global life. ... The word admiral comes from the Arabic term amir-al-bahr meaning commander of the seas. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff or Gunreibo Socho, was in charge of Imperial Japanese Navy planning and operations. ...

"The ministry was responsible for the naval budget, ship construction, weapons procurement, personnel, relations with the Diet and the cabinet, and broad matters of naval policy. The general staff directed the operations of the fleet and the preparation of war plans" (Spector, 39).

Up until the 1920s or so, the Ministry always held the upper hand over the General Staff in terms of political influence. However, the officers of the General Staff found an opportunity, at the Washington Naval Conference in 1921-22 to improve their situation. At this meeting, the United States and Britain wanted to establish a worldwide naval ratio, asking the Japanese to limit themselves to a smaller navy than most of the Western powers. The Naval Ministry was willing to agree to this, seeking to maintain their alliance with the world's great naval powers, but the General Staff refused to agree to the terms. Ultimately, the treaty was signed by Japan, but terminated in 1934. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the General Staff continued to gain influence and power, eventually advocating the attack on Pearl Harbor against the wishes of the more diplomatic Naval Ministry. The Washington Naval Conference was a diplomatic conference held in Washington, D.C. in 1921 and 1922. ... Combatants United States of America Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN) Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441...

The year 1945 brought the end of the war, and with it the Showa Constitution, forcing the dismantling of Japan's military, and thus of the Naval Ministry. 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The present Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947, during the American occupation after the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II. The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (1889–1947) The first constitution in Japan was enacted by the Emperor during the Meiji Era...

Organization

• Secretariat
• Military Affairs Bureau
• Personnel Bureau
• Mobilization Bureau
• Intendence Bureau
• Medical Bureau
• Legal Bureau
• Technical Bureau
• Naval Aviation Bureau
• Supply and Transport Bureau

A secretary is an office/administrative support position. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of the Navy of Japan was responsible for the development and training of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. ...

Ministers of the Navy of Japan (1900-1945)

Ministers of the Navy had to be serving active duty Admirals or Vice-admirals. They primarily served to provide communications and liaison between the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff navy and the cabinet and the navy and the Imperial Diet. Admiral is a word from the Arabic term Amir-al-bahr (Lord of the bay). ... Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff or Gunreibo Socho, was in charge of Imperial Japanese Navy planning and operations. ... Diet may mean: In nutrition: Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group. ...

• Yamamoto Gonnohyóe; Oct 1900 - Jan 1906
• Saitó Makoto; Jan 1906 - Apr 1914
• Yasuhiro Rokuró; Apr 1914 - Aug 1915
• Kató Tomosabusró; Aug 1915 - Oct 1921
• Hara Kei (Acting Minister); Oct 1921 - Nov 1921
• Uchida Kósai; - Nov 1921
• Takahashi Korekiyo (Acting); Nov 1921 - Mar 1922
• Kató Tomosaburó; Mar 1922 May 1923
• Takarabe Takeshi; May 1923 - Jan 1924
• Murakami Kakuichi; Jan 1924 - Jun 1924
• Takarabe Takeshi; Jun 1924 - Apr 1927
• Okada Keisuke; Apr 1927 - Jul 1929
• Takarabe Takeshi; Jul 1929 - Nov 1929
• Hamaguchi Osachi (Acting); Nov 1929 - May 1930
• Takarabe Takeshi; May 1930 - Oct 1930
• Abo Kiyokazu; Oct 1930 - Dec 1931
• Osumi Mineo; Dec 1931 - May 1932
• Okada Keisuke; May 1932 - Jan 1933
• Osumi Mineo; Jan 1933 - Mar 1936
• Nagano Osami; Mar 1936 - Feb 1937
• Yonai Mitsumasa; Feb 1937 - Aug 1939
• Yoshida Zengo; Aug 1939 - Sep 1940
• Oikawa Koshiró; Sep 1940 - Oct 1941
• Shimada Shigetaró; Oct 1941 - Jul 1944
• Nomura Naokuni; - Jul 1944
• Yonai Mitsumasa; Jul 1944 - Dec 1945

References

• "Foreign Office Files for Japan and the Far East". Adam Matthew Publications. Accessed 2 March 2005.
• Spector, Ronald (1985). Eagle Against the Sun. New York: Vintage Books.