Battle of the Mainland

Japanese: 本土決戦 - ほんどけっせん

Plans for the defense of the Japanese mainland at the end of the Pacific War. The General Defense Headquarters was established on July 5, 1941, but the need for defense of the mainland increased with the fall of Saipan in July 1944. On July 20, the Imperial General Headquarters created the "Outline for the Construction of Fortifications Along the Mainland," and construction of fortifications was carried out in late August at locations where Allied forces were expected to land in the future (Shibushi Bay, Miyazaki Prefecture; Kujukuri Beach, Chiba Prefecture; Kashima Nada, Ibaraki Prefecture; Sagami Bay, Kanagawa Prefecture, etc.). However, preparations did not progress, and at the beginning of 1945, the ground operational forces in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Izu Islands consisted of eight divisions, one tank division, and three independent mixed brigades, and the army and navy air forces capable of withstanding an offensive operation were only 676 aircraft (including those for Taiwan and Okinawa), approximately 760 air defense fighter planes, and approximately 1,200 anti-aircraft guns.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

太平洋戦争末期の日本本土防衛作戦計画。本土防衛については，1941年7月5日防衛総司令部が設置されていたが，44年7月のサイパン島陥落により本土防衛の必要性が高まった。7月20日大本営は〈本土沿岸築城実施要綱〉を作成し，将来連合国軍の上陸が予想される地点(宮崎県志布志湾，千葉県九十九里浜，茨城県鹿島灘，神奈川県相模湾など)の陣地構築を8月下旬以降順次実施した。しかし準備はすすまず，45年初め本州，四国，九州，伊豆諸島の地上作戦兵力は8個師団，1戦車師団，3独立混成旅団など，進攻作戦に耐えうる陸海軍航空戦力は676機(台湾･沖縄方面を含む)，防空戦闘機約760機，高射砲約1200門にすぎなかった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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