Appendix R
Japanese Army-Navy Central Agreement Concerning the Central and South Pacific Operations, with Supplement, 30 September 1943
I. Operational Objectives
The objectives of the Southeast Area Operations are to destroy the attacking enemy in strategic sectors in this area and to plan to hold out as long as possible, thereby expediting future operations.
II. Operational Direction
The Army and Navy will closely cooperate to destroy the attacking enemy at all times at strategic sectors in the Southeast Area, extending east from Eastern New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, and thereby endeavor to hold out as long as possible. In order to accomplish this:
A. Defenses of the strategic sectors in the Bougainville–Bismarck Archipelago Area, centering around the vicinity of Rabaul, will be strengthened, and efforts will be made to hold them as long as possible. Moreover, supplies for strategic sectors on both shores of Dampier Strait as well as those in the Northern New Guinea Area will be secured as much as possible and efforts will be made to maintain them.
B. Efforts will be made to destroy with air and sea strength the attacking enemy before he makes a landing. In the event that the enemy does make a landing the enemy will be destroyed in the initial stage, thereby endeavoring to check his counterattack plan.
C. Large quantities of munitions will be amassed in the above strategic sectors and, in particular, supply transportation to the New Guinea Area will be speedily expedited.
III. Air Operations
A. The Army and Navy will utilize all available means to intensify their air operations, and will especially endeavor to display combined Army and Navy air strength and thereby conduct thoroughly satisfactory operations.
B. In air operations direction, overall operational policy will be considered. in particular search and patrol operations will be intensified and in the event of enemy landing operation, efforts will be made to destroy him resolutely at sea.
IV. Commanders and Forces to be used
1. Army:
Commander—Commander of the 8th Area Army
Strength—8th Area Army
2. Navy:
Commander—Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet
Strength—Bulk of the Combined Fleet
V. Command Relation
The Army and Navy will coordinate. Nevertheless, in the event that both the
Army and Navy units simultaneously conduct localized ground operations, the senior ranking officer may be ordered to assume unified operational command.
VI. Communications, Air Security and Weather
In accordance with the appendix, Army-Navy Central Agreement Concerning Communications, Air Security and Weather in the Southeast Area Operation.
VII. Supply
The Army and Navy will cooperate in regard to the supply of the Eastern New Guinea Area, particularly in the Dampier Strait and Madang Area, as well as to the Bougainville Island Area. Supply will be maintained as much as possible by the use of small craft and emergency transportation by naval craft.
VIII. Transportation and Escort
A. The Navy will cooperate with its naval vessels as much as possible for the transportation to concentrate and replenish Army forces in the Southeast Area. Whenever this is to be done, it will be conferred upon and decided at the Army and Navy Sections, Imperial General Headquarters.
B. In the transportation of Army units and supplies for local operations other than those mentioned in the above paragraph, the Army and Navy will cooperate and ships and naval vessels will be used. In regard to this, the Army and Navy commanders concerned will confer and decide.
C. Ships returning from the Southeast Area will be made as much as possible to proceed on a direct course from their point of departure. Nevertheless, for the time being, they will use Palau as a relay point and endeavor to proceed in a convoy. In regard to the above, the local Army and Navy commanders will confer and decide.
D. The Navy will furnish escorts for the transportation of Army units and supplies as well as for the return from such mission.
In regard to the execution of the above, the Army and Navy Sections, Imperial General Headquarters, or the Army and Navy commanders concerned will confer and decide in accordance with the provisions set down in the foregoing paragraphs.
IX. Public Information
It will be unified and handled by Imperial General Headquarters until further notice.
X. Designation of Operations
Solomon—Bismarck Archipelago Operation—Operation Ka.
New Guinea Area Operation—Operation To.
XI. Agreements Between Army and Navy Commanders
The following Army and Navy commanders will conclude agreements at their discretion: Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet and the 8th Area Army Commander; Southeast Area Fleet Commander and the 8th Area Army Commander.
Supplement
This agreement stipulates the outline of operational direction throughout all of the Central and South Pacific Area this year and next year, and matters of special necessity. Agreements on matters pertaining to operations in the southeast area of the Central and South Pacific Areas and other areas will be made separately according to necessity.
I. Operational Policy
The Imperial Army and Navy will cooperate closely and annihilate the attacking enemy at strategic sectors of the Southeast Area and will plan to hold out as long as possible. During this time, the backbone for counteroffensives from the area North of Australia to strategic sectors in the Central Pacific Area will be completed, fighting strength for the counteroffensive will be prepared, and a thorough counteroffensive will be launched against the attacking enemy. Efforts will be made to annihilate the enemy beforehand and break down his fighting spirit.
II. Outline of Operational Direction
1. Plans will be made to hold out as long as possible by destroying the enemy attacking in the strategic sector of the Southeast Area, extending from Eastern New Guinea east to the Solomon Islands.
2. With the deadline generally set at spring of 1944, operational bases extending from strategic sectors in the area North of Australia to strategic sectors in the Caroline and Mariana Islands Area will be completed and their defenses strengthened, and such measures for counteroffensives as the construction of operational bases in the Philippines Area and preparation of land, sea and air counteroffensive strength will be speedily strengthened.
3. In the event of an enemy attack, all types of fighting strength will be concentrated against the enemy’s attack front with bases in the aforementioned strategic sectors as the main support. Efforts will be made to destroy the enemy beforehand and thwart his attack plan.
4. Efforts will be made to conduct aggressive operations from the area north of Australia after the middle of 1944 if the situation permits. In regard to the direction of attack, separate studies and the necessary preparations will be made.
III. Southeast Area
Current operations in the Southeast Area will be based on the appendix, “Army-Navy Central Agreement Concerning Southeast Area Operation.”
IV. Area North of Australia
1. The Army and Navy will cooperate and speedily strengthen operational preparations in the area North of Australia, such as the preparation of bases, strengthening of defenses, storing of munitions, sea transport and establishment of line of communications bases with a deadline set about spring of 1944.
2. The foregoing operational preparations will be accelerated so as to leave nothing to be desired in the current defenses of the area North of Australia and particularly so that these operations will become the backbone for a counteroffensive according to charges in operation in the Southeast Area.
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4. For the strengthening of operational preparations in the area North of Australia, the Navy will escort the Army forces and munitions to said area. Moreover, the Army and Navy will cooperate and as much as possible provide cover for supplies and the above transport by means of air strength.
Matters pertaining to the carrying out of the above will be conferred upon and decided by the Army and Navy commanders concerned.
V. Central Pacific Area
1. With the spring of 1944 as the deadline, the Navy will speedily strengthen operational preparations in the Caroline and Mariana Islands Area. The Army will dispatch the necessary Army force and elements of line of communications organs to the Central Pacific Area, where they will be placed under the command of the Navy commander. Thus, the Army will cooperate with the Navy in strengthening operational preparations.
2. The Army will be responsible for the aforementioned transportation of Army forces while the Navy will be responsible for the subsequent constant transportation of supply materials (replacements) and evacuation of patients.
The Army will be responsible for weapons and clothing in the constant supply of materials for Army forces, while the Navy will be chiefly responsible for such things as other provisions and construction materials. The details for providing for the above supplies and other materials for the operations will be conferred upon and decided on each occasion by the Army and Navy Section of Imperial General Headquarters.
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2. Commanders
Southeast Area Operation:
Army—Commander of the 8th Area Army
Navy—Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet (Commander of the Southeast Area Fleet)
North of Australia Area Operation:
Army—Commander in Chief of the Southern Central Army (Commander of the 19th Army)
Navy—Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet (Commander of the Southwest Area Fleet)
Central Pacific Area Operation:
Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet.