Katō Hiroharu, alternatively named Katō Kanji (23 December 1870 – 9 February 1939), was a Japanese naval officer during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. The first name 'Kanji' was used in his later life after he became famous, likely just before he was promoted to rear-admiral.[a] He served as the Chief of Navy General Staff from 22 January 1929 to 11 June 1930.
In February 1896, he married Murata Chiyoko from Fukui Domain, and on 24 October 1896, he was appointed as a member of the receiving commission sent to London for battleship Fuji.[1]: pp.308–309 Promoted to squad leader on Fuji, Chief Navigation Officer of IJN Tatsuta, and then assigned to Consulate General of JapaninSaint Petersburg.
He entered into Russo-Japanese War in 1904 as the Chief Gunnery Officer of IJN Asahi and experimented with a salvo-firing central control of main guns during the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 10 August 1904, contributing to the killing of admiral Wilgelm Vitgeft and his staff onboard Russian flagship Tsesarevich after the Japanese fleet flagship Mikasa handed over the leading battle position to Asahi. His primitive voice-command control system was adopted by the entire Combined Fleet, and he was promoted to the Chief Gunnery Officer of flagship Mikasa in March 1905.
He was a naval attaché at the Embassy of Japan in London in 1909. He had opposed the signing of the 1930 Treaty of London, which established limitations on arms between Japan, the United States and Great Britain. In 1930 he resigned rather than attend a dinner in honour of US Ambassador William Richards Castle Jr., in protest against the naval restrictions negotiated with him.[3] Kato fought against the treaty limitations, and the treaty of 1936, finally dying after writing his memoirs, widely regarded[citation needed] as a treatise on why Japan was disadvantaged by the treaties. His actions prevented him from advancing in rank and probably cost him a seat in the government. He had an active antagonistic relationship with Yamamoto, who used his influence to prevent Kato from advancing.[4]
^This is a basic rule-of-thumb applicable to almost any Japanese names with both 'On' and 'Kun' spellings. Normally, 'Kun' reading is the name given by the parents, 'On' reading is the nickname used with respect.
Empire of Japan
Imperial Japanese Navy
Admiral
