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IJN ranks’ names were also a product of some development, sometimes different from previous history. While officers’ basic ranks remained stable from 1870 and overall rank structure – since 1920, there was significant change in sailors’ ranks in November 1942. For all the stories about animosity between Army and Navy, the sole reason for this change was to align ranks of petty officers and enlisted sailors with ranks of IJA NCOs and soldiers.
However, there still was a significant difference in the rank systems of IJA and IJN, called in various sources “special”, “specialized”, “special duty” officers. They were officers, promoted from ranks. Unlike IJA in the IJN those officers had different status, close to warrant officers or chief petty officers.
The table below shows all IJN rank names as changed on 1 November 1942, which changed little till the end of the Pacific War.
Reserve ranks also existed (with the addition of word “reserve”) from captain to seaman second class, but only for deck, flight (flight branch had no reserve enlisted ranks), engineer and constructor branches.
Note, that besides officially established ranks there were two honorary titles, which had separate rank insignia and stood apart in military seniority, which make them ranks in all but name. Generalissimo was the title Japanese Emperor received as the Commander in chief of the Japanese armed forces. The title of Field marshal (or Fleet admiral in the IJN) was given to the most deserving Army generals and Navy admirals. Peculiarity of either title is, in Japanese language they were not service-specific as their holders considered belonged to the military elite as a whole.
Officers
|
Rank category |
Name and spelling in Japanese (for Commanding officers) |
Deck (or line) |
Surgeon |
Apothecary |
Paymaster |
Technical |
Dentist |
Justice |
|
Title given to the Emperor as the Commander-in-chief |
大元帥 (Dai gensui) |
Generalissimo |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Title given to the most deserving Navy admirals |
元帥 (Gensui) |
Fleet admiral |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Flag officers |
海軍大將 (Kaigun taishō) |
Admiral |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
海軍中將 (Kaigun chūjō) |
Vice admiral |
Vice admiral |
-- |
Vice admiral |
Vice admiral |
-- |
Vice admiral |
|
|
海軍小將 (Kaigun shōshō) |
Rear admiral |
Rear admiral |
Rear admiral |
Rear admiral |
Rear admiral |
Rear admiral |
Rear admiral |
|
|
Senior officers |
海軍大佐 (Kaigun taishō) |
Captain |
Captain |
Captain |
Captain |
Captain |
Captain |
Captain |
|
海軍中佐 Kaigun chūsa) |
Commander |
Commander |
Commander |
Commander |
Commander |
Commander |
Commander |
|
|
海軍小佐 (Kaigun shōsa) |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
|
|
Junior officers |
海軍大尉 (Kaigun tai-i) |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
|
海軍中尉 (Kaigun chū-i) |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
|
|
海軍少尉 (Kaigun shō-i) |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
-- |
|
|
Midshipmen |
海軍少尉候補生 (Kaigun shō-i kōhosei) |
Midshipman |
Midshipman |
Midshipman |
Midshipman |
Midshipman |
Midshipman |
-- |
Special officers, Warrant officers, Petty officers, Sailors
|
Category |
Name and spelling in Japanese (for Deck ranks) |
Deck (or line) |
Flight |
Maintenance |
Engineer |
Constructor |
Band |
Nursing |
Paymaster |
Technical |
|
Special officers |
海軍小佐 (Kaigun shōsa) |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Lieutenant commander |
Lieutenant commander |
-- |
-- |
|
海軍大尉 (Kaigun tai-i) |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant |
|
|
海軍中尉 (Kaigun chū-i) |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant |
|
|
海軍少尉 (Kaigun shō-i) |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
Acting Sub-lieutenant |
|
|
Warrant officers |
海軍兵曹長 (Kaigun heisōchō) |
Chief Petty officer |
Flight Chief Petty officer |
Maintenance Chief Petty officer |
Engineer Chief Petty officer |
Constructor Chief Petty officer |
Band Chief Petty officer |
Sanitary Chief Petty officer |
Paymaster Chief Petty officer |
Technical Chief Petty officer |
|
Petty officers |
海軍上等兵曹 (Kaigun jōtōheisō) |
Senior Petty officer |
Flight Senior Petty officer |
Maintenance Senior Petty officer |
Engineer Senior Petty officer |
Constructor Senior Petty officer |
Band Senior Petty officer |
Sanitary Senior Petty officer |
Paymaster Senior Petty officer |
Technical Senior Petty officer |
|
海軍一等兵曹 (Kaigun ittōheisō) |
Petty officer first class |
Flight Petty officer first class |
Maintenance Petty officer first class |
Engineer Petty officer first class |
Constructor Petty officer first class |
Band Petty officer first class |
Sanitary Petty officer first class |
Paymaster Petty officer first class |
Technical Petty officer first class |
|
|
海軍二等兵曹 (Kaigun nitōheisō) |
Petty officer second class |
Flight Petty officer second class |
Maintenance Petty officer second class |
Engineer Petty officer second class |
Constructor Petty officer second class |
Band Petty officer second class |
Sanitary Petty officer second class |
Paymaster Petty officer second class |
Technical Petty officer second class |
|
|
Enlisted |
海軍水兵長 (Kaigun suiheichō) |
Leading Seaman |
Leading Airman |
Leading Maintainer |
Leading Engineer |
Leading Constructor |
Leading Bandman |
Leading Nurseman |
Leading Paymaster |
Leading Technician |
|
海軍上等水兵 (Kaigun jōtōsuihei) |
Senior Seaman |
Senior Airman |
Senior Maintainer |
Senior Engineer |
Senior Constructor |
Senior Bandman |
Senior Nurseman |
Senior Paymaster |
Senior Technician |
|
|
海軍一等水兵 (Kaigun ittōsuihei) |
Seaman first class |
Airman first class |
Maintainer first class |
Engineer first class |
Constructor first class |
Bandman first class |
Nurseman first class |
Paymaster first class |
Technician first class |
|
|
海軍二等水兵 (Kaigun nitōsuihei) |
Seaman second class |
Airman second class |
Maintainer second class |
Engineer second class |
Constructor second class |
Bandman second class |
Nurseman second class |
Paymaster second class |
Technician second class |
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