Wikipedia
was the highest rank in the prewar Imperial Japanese Navy. The term gensui was used for both the Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army, and was a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor. In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to five generals and three admirals. In the Taishō period it was awarded to six generals and six admirals, and in the Shōwa period it was awarded to six generals and four admirals. Equivalent to a five-star rank (OF-10), it is similar to Admiral of the Fleet in the UK Royal Navy and Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy.
Note that several were promoted the same year they died; these were posthumous promotions.
Marshal Admiral
Name
(Birth-Death)
From
1
20 January 1898
Marquis Saigo Tsugumichi
(1843-1902)
Kagoshima
2
31 January 1906
Count Itoh Sukeyuki
(1843-1914)
Kagoshima
3
31 October 1911
Viscount Inoue Yoshika
(1845-1929)
Kagoshima
4
21 April 1913
Marquis Togo Heihachiro
(1847-1934)
Kagoshima
5
7 July 1913
Prince Arisugawa Takehito
(1862-1913)
Imperial Family
6
26 May 1917
Baron Goro Ijuin
(1852-1921)
Kagoshima
7
27 June 1922
Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
(1867-1922)
Imperial Family
8
8 January 1923
Baron Hayao Shimamura
(1858-1923)
Kochi
9
24 August 1923
Baron Tomozaburo Kato
(1861-1923)
Hiroshima
10
27 May 1932
Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu
(1876-1946)
Imperial Family
11
18 April 1943
Isoroku Yamamoto
(1884-1943)
Niigata
12
21 June 1943
Osami Nagano
(1880-1947)
Kochi
13
31 March 1944
Mineichi Koga
(1885-1944)
Saga
Gensui (元帥) may refer to:
- Grand marshal (大元帥 dai-gensui), highest rank in Greater Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy, held by the Emperor of Japan;
-
Field marshal (元帥陸軍大将 gensui rikugun-taishō), OF-10 officer in Imperial Japanese Army;
- Marshal (陸軍元帥 rikugun gensui), only held by Saigō Takamori in July 1872–May 1873.
- Marshal-admiral (元帥海軍大将 gensui kaigun-taishō), OF-10 officer in Imperial Japanese Navy.
was the highest title in the pre-war Imperial Japanese military.
The title originated from the Chinese title yuanshuai（元帥）.
The term gensui, which was used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy, was at first a rank held by Saigō Takamori as the Commander of the Armies (元帥海軍 gensui rikugun) in 1872. However, in May 1873 Saigō was "demoted" to general, with gensui thereafter no longer a rank as such, but a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor - thus similar in concept to the French title of Marshal of France. Equivalent to a five-star rank (OF-10), it is similar to Field Marshal in the UK British Army and General of the Army in the United States Army.
While gensui would retain their actual ranks of general or admiral, they were entitled to wear an additional enamelled breast badge, depicting paulownia leaves between crossed army colors and a naval ensign under the Imperial Seal of Japan. They were also entitled to wear a special samurai sword (katana) of a modern design on ceremonial occasions.
In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to five generals and three admirals. In the Taishō period it was awarded to six generals and six admirals, and in the Shōwa period it was awarded to six generals and four admirals. The higher title of dai-gensui was comparable to the title of generalissimo and was held only by the Emperor himself.
Note that several were promoted the same year they died; these were posthumous promotions.
Marshal
Name
(Birth-Death)
From
X
July 19, 1872
Saigō Takamori
(1827-1877)
Kagoshima
1
January 20, 1898
Prince Yamagata Aritomo
(1838-1922)
Yamaguchi
2
January 20, 1898
Prince Komatsu Akihito
(1846-1903)
Imperial Family
3
January 20, 1898
Prince Ōyama Iwao
(1842-1916)
Kagoshima
4
January 31, 1906
Marquis Nozu Michitsura
(1840-1908)
Kagoshima
5
October 24, 1911
Count Oku Yasukata
(1847-1930)
Fukuoka
6
January 9, 1914
Count Hasegawa Yoshimichi
(1850-1924)
Yamaguchi
7
January 9, 1914
Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
(1858-1923)
Imperial Family
8
January 9, 1914
Baron Kawamura Kageaki
(1850-1926)
Kagoshima
9
June 24, 1916
Count Terauchi Masatake
(1852-1919)
Yamaguchi
10
December 12, 1919
Prince Kan'in Kotohito
(1865-1945)
Imperial Family
11
April 27, 1921
Baron Uehara Yusaku
(1856-1933)
Miyazaki
12
January 27, 1929
Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi
(1873-1929)
Imperial Family
13
August 8, 1932
Prince Nashimoto Morimasa
(1874-1951)
Imperial Family
14
May 3, 1933
Baron Nobuyoshi Muto
(1868-1933)
Saga
15
June 21, 1943
Count Hisaichi Terauchi
(1879-1946)
Tokyo
16
June 21, 1943
Hajime Sugiyama
(1875-1945)
Fukuoka
17
June 2, 1944
Shunroku Hata
(1879-1962)
Fukushima
The title was also bestowed on King George V of the United Kingdom on October 28, 1918.