近藤信竹
Takasu was a native of Sakuragawa Village, (currently part of Inashiki, Ibaraki), and graduated from the 35th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, where his classmates included future admirals Nobutake Kondō and Naokuni Nomura. He served his midshipman duty on the cruisers and , and as sublieutenant on the battleship , cruiser , and battlecruiser .