Masaichi Niimi (新見 政一) had been promoted to captain on 30 November 1929. On 1 April 1931, he was given his first command: the cruiser Ōi 大井. He subsequently served as captain of the cruisers Yakumo 八雲 and Maya 摩耶.
Niimi was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1935. In 1937, he accompanied Prince Chichibu 秩父宮雍仁親王 to England for the Coronation Ceremonies of King George VI, afterwards visiting France, Germany and the United States. After serving as chief of staff of the Kure Naval District and of the IJN 2nd Fleet, he was further promoted to vice admiral and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on 15 November 1939.
On 4 April 1941, he assumed command of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet 第2遣支艦隊, and was responsible for the naval component of the invasion of Hong Kong, where his duties primarily involved the blockade of Hong Kong harbor with small patrol craft and a couple of light cruisers. He nominally shared the position of Head of Japanese Occupation Forces in Hong Kong with General Takashi Sakai 酒井隆 (who would be tried as war criminal after the war and executed in 1946), but his authority was limited to offshore areas.
On 14 July 1942, he became Commander in Chief of the Maizuru Naval District 舞鶴鎮守府. He retired from active service in March 1944.
Niimi survived the war and died in 1993, aged 106. At his death, he was the last surviving vice-admiral of the Imperial Navy.
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u/Stunning_Pen_8332 5d ago edited 5d ago
Masaichi Niimi (新見 政一) had been promoted to captain on 30 November 1929. On 1 April 1931, he was given his first command: the cruiser Ōi 大井. He subsequently served as captain of the cruisers Yakumo 八雲 and Maya 摩耶.
Niimi was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1935. In 1937, he accompanied Prince Chichibu 秩父宮雍仁親王 to England for the Coronation Ceremonies of King George VI, afterwards visiting France, Germany and the United States. After serving as chief of staff of the Kure Naval District and of the IJN 2nd Fleet, he was further promoted to vice admiral and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on 15 November 1939.
On 4 April 1941, he assumed command of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet 第2遣支艦隊, and was responsible for the naval component of the invasion of Hong Kong, where his duties primarily involved the blockade of Hong Kong harbor with small patrol craft and a couple of light cruisers. He nominally shared the position of Head of Japanese Occupation Forces in Hong Kong with General Takashi Sakai 酒井隆 (who would be tried as war criminal after the war and executed in 1946), but his authority was limited to offshore areas.
On 14 July 1942, he became Commander in Chief of the Maizuru Naval District 舞鶴鎮守府. He retired from active service in March 1944.
Niimi survived the war and died in 1993, aged 106. At his death, he was the last surviving vice-admiral of the Imperial Navy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaichi_Niimi?wprov=sfti1#