Ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy

The following graphs present the rank insignia of the Imperial Japanese Navy from its establishment in 1868 to its defeat during World War II in 1945 (with some changes in April and November 1942[1][2]). These designs were used from 1931 onward. For the typical Navy, star modelling cherry blossom is used for showing their ranks/branches, but the Naval Reserve personnel wore the compass based star[lower-alpha 1] before 1942, when the Reserve and Special Duty Officers will be merged with the typical naval personnel's insignia.

Commissioned officer ranks

Rank flags

Rank flags
(1870–1871)
(1871–1889)
(1889–1896)
(1896–1945)
	Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral

Ranks

Cap badges:

All commissioned officer rank names were the same as their army counterparts. The navy would prefix the common rank names with 海軍 (Kaigun), while the army would prefix them with 陸軍 (Rikugun), meaning "Navy" and "Army", respectively. There was a minor difference in pronunciation of character 大 for Navy Lieutenant and Navy Captain. The navy pronounced it as Dai, while the army pronounced it as Tai. However, this pronunciation difference was not officially enacted. Special Duty Officers (特務士官 Tokumu-shikan) were the officers with the rank of Lieutenant or below, who were promoted from the rank of Warrant Officer (starting from the enlisted ranks),[2][3] which the ranks discriminated such as the priority of taking command is later than commissioned or reserve officers.[lower-alpha 2] Its difference of the rank insignia has been abolished in 1942, but the system itself still remained. The rank commodore was not established, but the Captain who is commanding the central ship in the fleet (usually nearly promoting to the rank of Rear-Admiral) or having a position of commander (which usually Rear-Admiral holds) are admitted to become a flag officer by raising the "Commodore Flag". See the table below for details:[4]

Insignia[5]				Title	Translation
Collar	Shoulder	Sleeve	Chest	Title	Translation
			None	大元帥海軍大将 (Daigensui-kaigun-taishō)	Lord high admiral of the Japanese Empire or Admiralissimo (the title used only for Emperor of Japan)
				元帥海軍大将 (Gensui-kaigun-taishō)	Fleet/Marshal/Grand Admiral (the title used for some Admirals with achievements)
			None	海軍大将 (Kaigun-taishō)	Admiral
				海軍中将 (Kaigun-chūjō)	Vice-admiral
				海軍少将 (Kaigun-shōshō)	Rear-admiral
				海軍大佐 (Kaigun-daisa)	Captain (some Captains held the "position" of Commodore)
				海軍中佐 (Kaigun-chūsa)	Commander
				海軍少佐 (Kaigun-shōsa)	Lieutenant-commander
	[lower-alpha 3]	[lower-alpha 4]		海軍大尉 (Kaigun-dai-i)	Lieutenant
	[lower-alpha 3]	[lower-alpha 4]		海軍中尉 (Kaigun-chūi)	Sub-lieutenant (Lieutenant junior grade)
	[lower-alpha 3]	[lower-alpha 4]		海軍少尉 (Kaigun-shōi)	Acting Sub-lieutenant (Ensign)

Cadet and warrant officer ranks

Midshipman and Warrant Officer's collar insignia is same (both were treated as officer-equivalent), but in detail, midshipman's position is above Warrant Officer. Furthermore, midshipman rank was not via commissioned, but it was via ordered or warranted. Cadet is much likely to be classified as a slightly higher than non-commissioned officer, since the cap's line is only one, compared to the commissioned officer's cap which has two lines and the type 3 uniform is based on the enlisted personnel.

Insignia[5]			Title	Translation
Collar	Shoulder	Sleeve	Title	Translation
			海軍少尉候補生 (Kaigun-shōi-kōhosei)海軍予備少尉候補生 (Kaigun-yobi-shōi-kōhosei)	Midshipman/Reserve Midshipman
			海軍予備学生 (Kaigun-yobi-gakusei)	Reserve student
			海軍見習尉官 (Kaigun-minarai-ikan)	Apprentice (specialist branch) e.g., Apprentice surgeon (Medical branch)
		[lower-alpha 5]	兵曹長 (Heisōchō)	Warrant Officer
			海軍兵学校生徒 (Kaigun-heigakō-seito) 海軍予備生徒 (Kaigun-yobi-seito)	Cadet/Reserve cadet
			海軍委託生 (Kaigun-itakusei)

Non-commissioned officer and enlisted personnel rates

For seamen and petty officers, which were selected from enlisted men or conscripts and given training in the Navy's service/technical school, the names were different from the army names but were equal in rank. Different service branches within the navy had their specialisation augment the common rank name. For example, Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAF) had "Flight" (飛行 Hikō)[lower-alpha 6] incorporated into the common rank name, such as Flight Petty Officer First Class (一等飛行兵曹 Ittō-hikō-heisō) or Flight Seaman Second Class (二等飛行兵 Nitō-hikō-hei).[1][2] For practical use, these rank names were often shortened to 一飛曹 (Ippisō) or 二飛 (Nihi), respectively.[1] The enlisted rank insignia were changed in April 1942[2] and the common rank names were updated in November 1942.[1][2][3]

The enlisted insignia prior to changes in 1942 was a round patch that contained one anchor for the lowest grade, two crossed anchors for the middle grade and two crossed anchors with a cherry blossom for the highest grade. The petty officer insignia followed the same pattern but additionally had wreaths. The insignia was red on black background for winter dark-blue uniforms (also for flight suits), black on white background for summer white uniforms, and red on green background for Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) uniforms. The anchor would be replaced by different symbols for specialised branches; for example, aviation had an aircraft instead.[6] After the changes in 1942, the insignia was a black patch that was square-shaped on the top and arrow-shaped on the bottom. Inside the patch, all branches had a yellow anchor and one yellow horizontal stripe for the lowest grade, two for the middle grade and three for the highest grade. Similarly as before, the petty officer insignia followed the same pattern but additionally had wreaths. For all ranks there was also a cherry blossom in the middle, which changed its colour based on the branch; for example, light blue represented aviation.[6] See the table below for details:[4]

Insignia	Title	Translation	Insignia[5]	Title	Translation
Pre 1942			Post 1942
Petty officers 下士官 (Kashikan)
	一等兵曹 (Ittōheisō)	Petty officer first class		上等兵曹 (Jōtōheisō)	Chief petty officer
	二等兵曹 (Nitōheisō)	Petty officer second class		一等兵曹 (Ittōheisō)	Petty officer first class
	三等兵曹 (Santōheisō)	Petty officer third class		二等兵曹 (Nitōheisō)	Petty officer second class
	Enlisted/Seamen 水兵 (Suihei)
	一等水兵 (Ittōsuihei)	Seaman first class		水兵長 (Suiheichō)	Leading seaman
	二等水兵 (Nitōsuihei)	Seaman second class		上等水兵 (Jōtōsuihei) (senior seaman)	Able seaman (Seaman)
	三等水兵 (Santōsuihei)	Seaman third class		一等水兵 (Ittōsuihei) (seaman first class)	Ordinary seaman (Seaman apprentice)
	四等水兵 (Yontōsuihei)	Seaman (seaman fourth class)		二等水兵 (Nitōsuihei) (seaman second class)	Seaman recruit

Service branch colours

The branch of the Navy in which non-executive personnel served was indicated by a colour code. For officers, including midshipmen, it was the colour of cloth placed as background to the cuff stripes, on both sides of the gold lace on the shoulder boards, and as longitudinal piping on the collar patches. Midshipmen and cadets wore a coloured anchor on the cap, which cadets wore on the shoulder boards as well.[4] The branch of enlisted men was denoted by the colour of the cherry blossom flower on their rank patch; line personnel using the default gold.

Color		Branch
	Purple	Engineering[lower-alpha 7]
	Brown	Ship and engine construction
	Purple-brown	Ordnance construction
	Red	Medical (surgeon, dentist and pharmacist) and Hospital(Corps)man (combat medic)
	Pale green	Legal
	White	Paymaster
	Black	Executive/Line/Survey officers
	Light blue	Aviation (Warrant and Special Duty Officer[lower-alpha 8]) and Hydrography
	Green	Chief carpenters
	Grey-blue	Band master (Warrant and Special Duty Officer)

Notes

Currently used in Japan Coast Guard's insignia.
Navy Land Forces and some Naval Air Service used to neglect this system, more to focusing on the rank itself, regardless to Reserve or Special Duty Officers.
The line was thinner as the Warrant Officer's rank insignia before 1942 for the Special Duty Officers.
Before 1942, three cherry blossoms were added below the stripe for the Special Duty Officer.[6]
Three cherry blossoms were on the sleeve before 1942.[6]
Before June 1941, it was "Aviation" (航空 Kōkū).[2]
Later, engineering branch (above commissioned officer) will be merged with line branch, after 1942. Hence, the purple branch colour is used only below Warrant Officer.
Later, aviation Special Duty Officer will be merged with line Special Duty Officer, after 1942. Hence, the light blue branch colour is used only below Warrant Officer.

References

Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2011). Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and their aces, 1932-1945. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 9781906502843.
Tagaya, Osamu (2003). Imperial Japanese Naval Aviator 1937-45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841763853.
Lundstrom, John B. (2005b). First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8.
Rosignoli, Guido (1980). Naval and Marine Badges and Insignia of World War 2. Blandford Colour Series. Link House, West Street, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1LL: Blandford Press Ltd. pp. 152–153.CS1 maint: location (link)
Mollo 2001, p. 187.
Nila, Gary (2002). Japanese Naval Aviation Uniforms and Equipment 1937-1945. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841764655.

Mollo, Andrew (2001). The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation. Leicester: Silverdale books. ISBN 1-85605-603-1.

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[3] Currently used in Japan Coast Guard's insignia.

[5] Navy Land Forces and some Naval Air Service used to neglect this system, more to focusing on the rank itself, regardless to Reserve or Special Duty Officers.

[specialduty-8] The line was thinner as the Warrant Officer's rank insignia before 1942 for the Special Duty Officers.

[sakuras-10] Before 1942, three cherry blossoms were added below the stripe for the Special Duty Officer.[6]

[11] Three cherry blossoms were on the sleeve before 1942.[6]

[12] Before June 1941, it was "Aviation" (航空 Kōkū).[2]

[13] Later, engineering branch (above commissioned officer) will be merged with line branch, after 1942. Hence, the purple branch colour is used only below Warrant Officer.

[14] Later, aviation Special Duty Officer will be merged with line Special Duty Officer, after 1942. Hence, the light blue branch colour is used only below Warrant Officer.

[Hata2011-1] Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2011). Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and their aces, 1932-1945. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 9781906502843.

[Tagaya2003-2] Tagaya, Osamu (2003). Imperial Japanese Naval Aviator 1937-45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841763853.

[Lundstrom2005b-4] Lundstrom, John B. (2005b). First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8.

[Rosignoli1980-6] Rosignoli, Guido (1980). Naval and Marine Badges and Insignia of World War 2. Blandford Colour Series. Link House, West Street, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1LL: Blandford Press Ltd. pp. 152–153.CS1 maint: location (link)

[FOOTNOTEMollo2001187-7] Mollo 2001, p. 187.

[Nila2002-9] Nila, Gary (2002). Japanese Naval Aviation Uniforms and Equipment 1937-1945. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841764655.