Twenty-Third Army (Japan)

The Japanese 23rd Army (第23軍) was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

History
The Japanese 23rd Army was formed on June 26, 1941 under the Imperial General Headquarters. It was transferred to the control of the China Expeditionary Army on August 12 of the same year. It was based in Guangdong province and on Hainan Island to replace the Southern China Area Army which was disbanded June 26, 1941.

The Japanese 23rd Army was primarily a garrison force to deter the possible landings of Allied forces in southern China. It was involved in the Battle of Guilin-Liuzhou (part of Operation Ichi-Go) from August–November 1944. The Japanese 23rd Army surrendered to the Chinese Kuomingtang forces on August 11, 1945 with the surrender of Japan and was disbanded in Guangzhou.