Japanese General. He graduated from the 9th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1897. Matsui fought during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 and 1905 and then graduated from the Army Staff College in 1906. He would later serve in various military positions both in Russia and Manchuria. From 1931 to 1932 Matsui was a member of the Japanese delegation to the Geneva Disarmament Conference. He became a general in 1933 and was appointed to the Supreme War Council where he would serve until 1935. Matsui was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun in 1935 and then he retired from active military service. After the second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937 he was recalled to duty and became the commander of the Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Force. On December 10, 1937 Matsui's forces attacked Nanking and then three days later the city surrendered. The infamous Nanking massacre where rape and looting took place began soon afterwards. In 1938 Matsui was recalled back to Japan and he retired from the military for the second time. He returned to his hometown of Atami and, along with few others in the community, built a large statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, facing in the direction of Nanking. After the surrender of Japan in September of 1945, Matsui was arrested and charged with war crimes in connection with the actions of the Japanese army in China. In 1948 he was found guilty and sentenced to death. On December 23, 1948, Matsui, along with 6 other military and political leaders, was executed by hanging. His body was cremated.
Japanese General. He graduated from the 9th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1897. Matsui fought during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 and 1905 and then graduated from the Army Staff College in 1906. He would later serve in various military positions both in Russia and Manchuria. From 1931 to 1932 Matsui was a member of the Japanese delegation to the Geneva Disarmament Conference. He became a general in 1933 and was appointed to the Supreme War Council where he would serve until 1935. Matsui was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun in 1935 and then he retired from active military service. After the second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937 he was recalled to duty and became the commander of the Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Force. On December 10, 1937 Matsui's forces attacked Nanking and then three days later the city surrendered. The infamous Nanking massacre where rape and looting took place began soon afterwards. In 1938 Matsui was recalled back to Japan and he retired from the military for the second time. He returned to his hometown of Atami and, along with few others in the community, built a large statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, facing in the direction of Nanking. After the surrender of Japan in September of 1945, Matsui was arrested and charged with war crimes in connection with the actions of the Japanese army in China. In 1948 he was found guilty and sentenced to death. On December 23, 1948, Matsui, along with 6 other military and political leaders, was executed by hanging. His body was cremated.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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