# Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army

The Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army were the rank insignia of the Imperial Japanese Army, used from its creation in 1868, until its dissolution in 1945 following the Surrender of Japan in World War II.
The officer rank names were used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy, the only distinction being the placement of the word Rikugun (army) or Kaigun (navy) before the rank. Thus, for example, a captain in the navy shared the same rank designation as that of a colonel in the army: Taisa (colonel), so the rank of Rikugun Taisa denoted an army colonel, while the rank of Kaigun daisa denoted a naval captain.

## Meiji 19 insignia
### Officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Sleeve insignia (1868–1904) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sleeve insignia (1868–1904) | 陸軍大将 Rikugun-Taishō | 陸軍大将 Rikugun-Taishō | 陸軍中将 Rikugun-Chūjō | 陸軍中将 Rikugun-Chūjō | 陸軍少将 Rikugun-Shōshō | 陸軍少将 Rikugun-Shōshō | 陸軍大佐 Rikugun-Taisa | 陸軍大佐 Rikugun-Taisa | 陸軍中佐 Rikugun-Chūsa | 陸軍中佐 Rikugun-Chūsa | 陸軍少佐 Rikugun-Shōsa | 陸軍少佐 Rikugun-Shōsa | 陸軍大尉 Rikugun-Tai-i | 陸軍大尉 Rikugun-Tai-i | 陸軍中尉 Rikugun-Chūi | 陸軍中尉 Rikugun-Chūi | 陸軍少尉 Rikugun-Shōi | 陸軍少尉 Rikugun-Shōi | 准士官・下副官 Junsikan·Kafukukan | 准士官・下副官 Junsikan·Kafukukan |
| English translation | General | General | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | Major general | Major general | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Warrant officer · Adjutant | Warrant officer · Adjutant |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Sleeve insignia (1868–1904) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sleeve insignia (1868–1904) | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 曹長 Sōchō | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 一等軍曹 （近衛） Ittō-Gunsō (Konoe) | 二等軍曹 Nitō-Gunsō | 二等軍曹 Nitō-Gunsō | 二等軍曹 Nitō-Gunsō | 二等軍曹 Nitō-Gunsō | 上等兵 Jōtō-Hei | 上等兵 Jōtō-Hei | 一等兵 （近衛） Ittō-Hei (Konoe) | 一等兵 （近衛） Ittō-Hei (Konoe) | 二等兵 Nitō-Hei | 二等兵 Nitō-Hei |
| English translation | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant major | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant first class (Guard) | Sergeant 2nd class | Sergeant 2nd class | Sergeant 2nd class | Sergeant 2nd class | Superior private | Superior private | Private first class (Guard) | Private first class (Guard) | Private 2nd class | Private 2nd class |

## Cap badges

Officer is the one with the yellow star and red. Lower rank is the one with yellow star.

## Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Title | 大元帥陸軍大将 Daigensui-rikugun-taishō | 大元帥陸軍大将 Daigensui-rikugun-taishō | 陸軍大将 Rikugun-taishō | 陸軍大将 Rikugun-taishō | 陸軍中将 Rikugun-chūjō | 陸軍中将 Rikugun-chūjō | 陸軍少将 Rikugun-shōshō | 陸軍少将 Rikugun-shōshō | 陸軍少将 Rikugun-shōshō | 陸軍少将 Rikugun-shōshō | 陸軍大佐 Rikugun-taisa | 陸軍大佐 Rikugun-taisa | 陸軍中佐 Rikugun-chūsa | 陸軍中佐 Rikugun-chūsa | 陸軍少佐 Rikugun-shōsa | 陸軍少佐 Rikugun-shōsa | 陸軍大尉 Rikugun-tai-i | 陸軍大尉 Rikugun-tai-i | 陸軍中尉 Rikugun-chūi | 陸軍中尉 Rikugun-chūi | 陸軍少尉 Rikugun-shōi | 陸軍少尉 Rikugun-shōi | 准尉 Jun-i | 准尉 Jun-i |
| Translation | Commander-in-chief | Commander-in-chief | General | General | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | Major general | Major general | Major general | Major general | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Warrant officer | Warrant officer |
| Showa 13 (1938) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Showa 18 (1943) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Shoulder | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sleeve | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Non-commissioned officers | Non-commissioned officers | Non-commissioned officers | Non-commissioned officers | Enlisted personnel | Enlisted personnel | Enlisted personnel | Enlisted personnel |
| Title | 曹長 (Sōchō) | 軍曹 (Gunsō) | 伍長 (Gochō) | 兵長 (Heichō) 伍長勤務上等兵 (Gochō Kinmu jōtōhei) | 上等兵 (Jōtōhei) | 一等兵 (Ittōhei) | 二等兵 (Nitōhei) | 三等兵 (Santōhei) |
| Translation | Sergeant major | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Superior private | Private first class | Private second class | Private |
| Collar | | | | | | | | |
| Shoulder | | | | | | | | |