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| 48th Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 30 November 1940 – 15 August 1945 |
| Disbanded | 15 August 1945 |
| Country |  Japan |
| Branch |  Imperial Japanese Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 25,000 |
| Garrison/HQ | Taiwan |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Yuichi Tsuchihashi |
The48th Division (第48師団,Dai-yonjūhachi Shidan) was aninfantrydivision of theImperial Japanese Army. Itscall sign was theSea Division (海兵団,Umi Heidan).
TheIJA 22nd Army was a short-lived component of theSouthern China Area Army from February to November 1940 during theSecond Sino-Japanese War. A component of the IJA 22nd Army was theTaiwan Mixed Brigade (台湾混成旅団), which was involved in combat operations inGuangdong Province. After the dissolution of the IJA 22nd Army on 30 November 1940 it was elevated to division status under theIJA 23rd Army and in August 1941 was transferred toTaihoku inTaiwan.
The division was composed of the 27th Independent Mixed Brigade (Taiwan Mixed Brigade) and the 47th Infantry Regiment, which became available when theIJA 6th Division transitioned from a rectangular to a triangular division. The 48th Division was initially part of theTaiwan Army, before being reassigned to theIJA 14th Army on 12 August 1941. In preparation for thePacific War, the division was mechanized (along with theIJA 5th Division), which was completed 6 November 1941.
Under the command of Lieutenant GeneralYuitsu Tsuchihashi, the IJA 48th Division was among the first Japanese forces to land in thePhilippines as part of theIJA 14th Army, andcaptured Manila, but did not participate in theBattle of Bataan.[1] Instead, in January 1942 the division was transferred to the control of theIJA 16th Army in easternJava, where it was assigned thecapture of Surabaya and its strategic oil fields on 7 March 1942.
Afterwards, the IJA 48th Division was assigned to garrison of the island ofTimor as part of theIJA 19th Army. Although the island had been captured by Japan in theBattle of Timor, much of the island was still in the hands ofAustralian andDutchcommandos.[2] Tsuchihashi launched a major counter-offensive in an attempt to push the Australians into a corner on the south coast of the island.[3] The Japanese also recruited significant numbers of Timorese civilians, who provided intelligence on Allied movements.[4] The island was secured when the remaining Australian commandos were evacuated in December 1942.
The IJA 19th Army was abolished on 28 February 1945, and the division became subordinate to theIJA 16th Army.
The IJA 48th Division remained as a garrison force on Timor until thesurrender of Japan.