Army Minister (Japan)
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Also called the War Minister, the Army Minister of the Empire of Japan was, with the Chief of Staff and the Inspector-General of Military Education, one of the three most powerful officials of the Imperial Japanese Army. In the pre-1945 Japanese government, the Army and Navy Ministersrequired to be, respectively a serving general or admiral, thus the militarycould block a cabinet forming by refusing to name a Minister because the cabinet legally had to have both Ministers. The incumbent headed the Ministry rather than the General Staff, but the kempetai military security police and intelligence service reported to him. He could and was also be Prime Minister of Japan; at one point, Hideki Tojo was Army Minister, Chief of Staff, and Prime Minister. |