History
The 4th Division was formed in Osaka City in January 1871 as the Osaka Garrison (大阪鎮台, Osaka chindai?), one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Osaka Garrison had responsibility for central region of Honshū (Kansai district), ranging from Shiga Prefecture to Hyōgo Prefecture. The six regional commands were transformed into divisions under the army reorganization of 14 May 1888.
The original headquarters for the 4th Division was Osaka Castle. When the castle was reconstructed in 1931, a new headquarters building was erected within the castle grounds as short distance away by donations raised from the citizens of Osaka, so that the castle and its immediate surroundings could be made into a public park.
The 4th Division was used primarily as a reserve division in the First Sino-Japanese War, though its 7th Mixed Division was sent to northern Formosa in September 1895 during the Japanese invasion of Taiwan, and helped to pacify the Kapsulan (Yilan) district.
During the Russo-Japanese War, led by General Ogawa Mataji, the division participated in several major battles and in the occupation of Korea. It later served in the Siberian Intervention and the Shandong Incident.
On 10 February 1937, the 4th Division came under the command of the Kwantung Army. It was transferred to the Japanese 11th Army on 1 July 1940. On 11 June 1941, it was transferred to the active reserve force in the Japanese home islands, but was then reassigned to the Japanese 14th Army in March 1942. It came under the control of the Japanese 25th Army in September 1943. Assigned to the Japanese 15th Army in 1945, its final headquarters was in Lampang, Thailand. It was disbanded at the end of World War II.
Noted commanders in the history of the 4th Division have included Takashima Tomonosuke, Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa, Ichinohe Hyoe, Abe Nobuyuki, Terauchi Hisaichi, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko and Tomoyuki Yamashita.
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