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Ministry of the Navy of Japan

Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIN : Ministry of the Navy of Japan

Imperial Japanese Military


Components 
Japanese Navy

Japanese Army
Rank insignia
Naval rank insignia
Army rank insignia
History of the Japanese Military
Military History of Japan during World War II
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.

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 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 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.

Organization

Ministers of the Navy of Japan (1900-1945)

Ministers of the Navy had to be serving active duty Admirals orVice-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.

Ministries of Japan
Cabinet
Cabinet Secretariat > Cabinet Office (National Public Safety Commission | Defense Agency)
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References

 

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