Masaichi Niimi

Vice-Admiral Masaichi Niimi (新見 政一) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Life and naval career
Niimi was born in what is now Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City, in Hiroshima Prefecture, as the second son to a farming and soy sauce producing family. He was a graduate of the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1908, ranking 15th out of 191 cadets. As a midshipman, he served on the cruisers JAPANESE CRUISER Aso and JAPANESE CRUISER Izumo.

He attended naval artillery and torpedo school in 1910, and was then assigned back to the Aso, followed by the destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Yayoi.

As a lieutenant from 1914, he served on the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Katori, battlecruiser JAPANESE BATTLECRUISER Ibuki, battleship JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Kawachi and destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Umikaze. He attended the Naval War College (Japan) in 1917, specializing in naval artillery. In 1919, he became chief gunnery officer on the battleship JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Ise. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1920, and was sent to the United Kingdom as a naval attaché from 1923–1925, during which time he was further promoted to commander. In 1922, he wrote a report to the Navy General Staff on the importance of protecting merchant shipping in times of war.

On his return to Japan, he was assigned as executive officer on the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Kuma in 1926. He was promoted to captain on 30 November 1929. On 1 April 1931, he was given his first command: the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Ōi. He subsequently served as captain of the cruisers JAPANESE CRUISER Yakumo and JAPANESE CRUISER Maya.

Niimi was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1935. In 1937, he accompanied Prince Chichibu to England for the Coronation Ceremonies of King George VI, afterwards visiting France, Germany and the United States. After serving as chief of staff of the Kure Naval District and of the IJN 2nd Fleet, he was further promoted to vice admiral and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on 15 November 1939.

On 4 April 1941, he assumed command of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, and was responsible for the naval component of the invasion of Hong Kong, where his duties primarily involved the blockade of Hong Kong harbor with small patrol craft and a couple of light cruisers. He nominally shared the position of Head of Japanese Occupation Forces in Hong Kong with General Takashi Sakai, but his authority was limited to offshore areas.

On 14 July 1942, he became Commander in Chief of the Maizuru Naval District. He retired from active service in March 1944.

Niimi survived the war and lived on to the age of 106 years old.