Please help with possibly significant flag

[1942Arisaka]

Hello everyone, I was referred here from Gunboards by TomP for help with my new flag. Some of the information that has been uncovered on it by Tom and a member of Japan Reference leads me to believe, if legitimate, this flag could hold some historical significance due to the signatures present. Each of my photos are numbered according to the following. Here is what has been worked out so far by the wonderful people who have given insight:

1.
七生報国
Shichishō hōkoku


2.
禱武運長久
Bu-un chōkyū

3.
奉皇師天命
Hōnō shitenmei
(patriotic slogan)


4.
忠誠勇武
Chusei Yubu
(patriotic slogan)


5.
正三位勲二等
Shōsanmi Kun-nito
三橋市太郎
Mihashi Ichitaro
(Mihashi Ichitaro maybe the writer of #1? He holds the rank of Shōsanmi Kun-nitō)


6.
中央大学々長　林頼三郎
Chūō Daigaku Gakucho Hayashi Raizaburo
(Head of Chūō University, Hayashi Raizaburo, maybe the writer of #4 above)


7.
義勇奉公
Giyū Hōkō
(patriotic slogan)


8.
正四位勲三等臣
Shōshi-i Kunsantō omi (another rank)
? (Name illegible. Presumably the writer of #2 and #3)


9.
河村重治郎
Kawamura Jūjirō
Kawamura Jūjirō was a teacher of English and Yokohama Commercial High School. He co-authored an English dictionary. The poem next to it is not yet resolved


10.
祝出陣　？澤光一（？）君
Iwai shutsujin -sawa Kōichi(?) kun (presumably the name of the intended recipient)
東京都大森区區町 加古松太郎
Tōkyō to Ōmori kuchō, Kako Shōtaro (Mayor of Ōmori ward, Tokyo, Kako Shōtaro.)



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These are my own thoughts:
It is of special note that Hayashi Raizaburo (phrase #6) was also a member of the cabinet of prime minister Kōki Hirota during the war. I believe the Shōsanmi Kun-nito rank in phrase #5 may be similar to the modern court rank of shō san-mi, who in 1943 was Isoroku Yamamoto. TomP mentioned there may be an IJN Rear Admiral on the flag in phrase #10 so there could be a connection. If I'm talking out of my rear-end here please feel free to laugh, it's fun to theorize it could be connected to these people. I can find no records on the mayor of Omori at the time, and it seems Omori was merged with another ward post-war to make research a bit more complicated. I also am not sure what court rank Shōshi-i Kunsantō omi is, there is nothing similar on the wiki.
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My questions:
Does this piece seem legitimate? The fabric and construction appears correct, but the important figures in the text is throwing me off
Can anyone familiar with the language verify these translations? I am extremely grateful for the help I have received thus far, I really can't express how thankful I am for it, but there are several parts that were determined illegible or unsure. A second opinion would be much appreciated
Is there any more information that anyone knows of that might help in my search of these individuals/ranks? I fear much of the information available is not in english and therefore I have a hard time discovering it.


I am learning a ton thanks to all the people who have helped me, I've gotten more enjoyment out of this search than I've had during my entire time collecting militaria... which hasn't been very long. I suppose this concludes one heck of a first post, thank you for reading!

[ghp95134]

海軍少将東京都大森区長加古松太郎
Kaigun Shoushou [and] Tokyo City Omori Ward mayor Kako Shoutarou [or, is it Matsutarou?]

Another with the same admiral’s signature:
出征旗 日の丸 日章旗 海軍少将 大森区長 加古松... - ヤフオク!

— Guy

[1942Arisaka]

Holy crap... pretty sure that's this flag!

海軍少将東京都大森区長加古松太郎
Kaigun Shoushou [and] Tokyo City Omori Ward mayor Kako Shoutarou [or, is it Matsutarou?]

Another with the same admiral’s signature:
出征旗 日の丸 日章旗 海軍少将 大森区長 加古松... - ヤフオク!

— Guy

[1942Arisaka]

Also found this document, seems to support your assertion:


Thank you for your help!

[ghp95134]

Here are the signatures/ description posted on that Japanese auction site:

出征旗 日の丸 日章旗 海軍少将 大森区長 加古松太郎 中央大学学長 林 頼三郎 河村重治郎 正三位 三橋市太郎 正四位 等著名人 肉筆サイン


— Guy

[ghp95134]

Recipient was:
白澤光一君
Shirasawa Koichi-kun
Mr. Shirasawa Koichi

—Guy

[ghp95134]

It looks like I might have conflated the admiral with the mayor: I cannot make out what is written under the admiral’s name. I don’t know if that is something added or if it is another name, or what. The original description does make it seem like the mayor and admiral are the same man... but that might be sloppy work. I really don’t know.

Sorry about that!

— Guy

[1942Arisaka]

Very nice, thank you again very much for your help! Some more reading I found that many of the kamikaze pilots were drafted from universities starting around 1943, the year identified in the document I shared, and a common slogan for them was phrase #1. Something to ponder I guess. I will see if I can find some information on the recipient of the flag.

Is there any hope for the poem by Mr. Kawamura Jūjirō? Also, are you saying the mayor of Omori was also a Kaigun Shoushou? I am not finding his name on the wiki of Japanese admirals. Perhaps another spelling?

This stuff is really fascinating, especially finding some of the pictures of the people depicted on this flag!

EDIT: Just saw your post about the admiral as I finished up typing, so there could be another name for the admiral? Would another picture help or is the handwriting illegible?

[ghp95134]

No, the writing is illegible to me; we need a native-speaker ..... Nick??? can you assist please? We’re looking for that admiral’s name.

—Guy

[ghp95134]

正三位 三橋市太 shows up on page 13 as donating 10 yen:
http://www.chuo-u.ac.jp/aboutus/hist...?1516233600054

Shosanmi is Senior Third Rank in the court system; his name is Mihashi Ichiro.