Jinzaburō Masaki

Jinzaburō Masaki (真崎 甚三郎, Masaki Jinzaburō, 27 November 1876 – 31 August 1956) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He was regarded as a leader of the Imperial Way Faction within the Japanese military.

Biography

Born in Saga Prefecture in 1876, Masaki graduated from the 9th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1897 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the IJA 46th Infantry Regiment in June 1898.^[1] He was assigned to Tsushima Guard Battalion from May 1899 until November 1900, when he was promoted to lieutenant in the IJA 46th Infantry Regiment. He was sent to the front during the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, and served in Manchuria until December 1905. During this period, he was promoted to captain in June 1904; however, he found the war a highly traumatizing experience, and after his return to Japan, Masaki wrote that he had considered resigning from the Army and entering the Buddhist priesthood.

Instead, Masaki entered the 19th class of the Army Staff College and graduated with honors at the top of his class in December 1905. An infantry officer, he was promoted to the rank of major in 1909 before being sent abroad as a military attaché to Germany from 1911 to 1914. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in November 1914.

After his return to Japan, Masaki was appointed as a staff officer in the

Masaki returned to his native Saga Prefecture to serve on the Prefectural Board of Education in 1941. Following the end of World War II, Masaki was arrested as a suspected war criminal. He was released from prison due to a lack of evidence in 1947.

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