Summary Brief re General ITAGAKI (Seishiro) A Colonel in the Kwantung Arm in 1929, ITAGAKI was made Major General in 1932 and rose to be Vice-Chief of Staff (1934) and the Chief of Staff (1936-1937) of that Army. He was appointed Commander of the 5th Division, stationed in China, in March, 1937. In May, 1937, he was attached to Headquarters, General Staff. War Minister under KONOYE (June 1938) and under HIRANUMA (May-August 1939) ITAGAKI was concurrently President of the Manchurian Affairs Bureau of the Cabinet. In September, 1939, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Japanese Army in China. In July, 1941, he was Commander of the Japanese Army in Korea. A full General by October 1941, ITAGAKI became Commander of the 7th Area Army in April, 1945. Leader of the so-called “Young Officers” clique and a staff officer in the Kwantung Arm when the Manchurian Incident occurred, ITAGAKI was native in the establishment of the Manchukuo government. He has been called the “Father of Manchukuo.” He was with Headquarters when Japan attacked the Republic of China in July, 1937. While ITAGAKI was War Minister, Japan refused the invitation of the League of Nations to meditate the China war and gave notice of withdrawal from the League’s social and technical organs. While ITAGAKI was War Minister, the Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere commenced, Japan announced that the Nine Power Treaty was obsolete and Japan occupied the HAINAN and SPRATLEY Islands. ITAGAKI favored strongly a military alliance with Germany. As an aggressive staff officer and Minister of War, ITAGAKI expanded the China Incident. Close friend of TOJO, ITAGAKI made him his Vice-Minister of War. Under ITAGAKI’s command, Japanese troops massacred thousands of Chinese civilians.