Masanobu Tsuji

Army officer and politician. Born in Ishikawa Prefecture. Graduated from the Army Academy and the Army War College. In 1934 (Showa 9), he became a company commander in the Army Cadet Corps. In 1937, he became a staff officer of the Kwantung Army. He advocated a hard-line stance during the Nomonhan Incident, which led to a major defeat in which one division was annihilated. He subsequently served as a researcher in the Taiwanese military, chief of the operations section of the General Staff Headquarters, and instructor at the Army War College. In 1944, he became a staff officer of the 33rd Army in Burma (now Myanmar). In 1945, he was a staff officer of the 18th Area Army, and experienced defeat in Bangkok, but fled for fear of being named a war criminal. He returned to Japan in 1948 (Showa 23). His record of his escape, "Three Thousand Miles Undercover," became a best-seller. In 1952, he was elected to the House of Representatives. In 1959, he became a member of the House of Councillors. In 1961, he went missing while traveling in Laos, and was declared dead in 1968.

[Yuji Odabe]

"Masanobu Tsuji" by Hisahide Sugimori (1963, Bungeishunju Shinsha) " "Two Staff Officers - Takushiro Hattori and Masanobu Tsuji" by Nobutake Takayama (1999, Fuyo Shobo Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

陸軍軍人、政治家。石川県生まれ。陸軍士官学校、陸軍大学校卒業。1934年（昭和9）陸士生徒隊中隊長。1937年関東軍参謀。ノモンハン事件では強硬論を主張し、1個師団壊滅の大敗を喫した。その後、台湾軍研究部員、参謀本部作戦班長、陸大教官などを歴任。1944年ビルマ（現ミャンマー）第三三軍参謀。1945年第一八方面軍参謀としてバンコクで敗戦を迎えたが、戦犯指名を恐れて逃走。1948年（昭和23）帰国。逃走中の記録『潜行三千里』がベストセラーとなる。1952年衆議院議員当選。1959年参議院議員。1961年ラオス旅行中に行方不明となり、1968年死亡宣告がなされた。

［小田部雄次］

『杉森久英著『辻政信』（1963・文芸春秋新社）』▽『高山信武著『二人の参謀――服部卓四郎と辻政信』（1999・芙蓉書房出版）』

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