Takeshi Sakurada

Takeshi Sakurada (桜田 武) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

Biography
A native of Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan, Sakurada was part of the 25th graduating class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1913. After graduation, he served with the IJA 29th Infantry Regiment. He returned to graduate from the 35th class of the Army Staff College in November 1921. He subsequently served as Chief of Staff of the IJA 10th Division. From August 1925 to August 1928 he served as a staff officer in the Kwantung Army, and later as commander of the IJA 34th Infantry Brigade.

At the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Sakurada was Chief of Staff of the IJA 5th Division. He participated in the Battle of Xuzhou and other campaigns in southern China. He was transferred to take command of the 1st Imperial Guards Brigade and promoted to major general in 1939. He subsequently commanded the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade from 1939-1940.

During World War II, Sakurada was promoted to command the IJA 22nd Army and participated in the Invasion of French Indochina. When the unit was disbanded in 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general and became Commandant of the Maebashi Army Reserve Officers' Cadet School from 1941-1942.

From 1942-1943, Sakurada was commander of the Army Naval Transport Headquarters based on Cebu. He was killed on 10 September 1943, when a transport ship carrying him through the East China Sea was sunk by Allied forces.