For naval operations in the Southwest Pacific area, including the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and New Guinea, see
South West Pacific theatre. For the overall military theater in Asia and the Pacific, see
Pacific War. For other uses, see
Pacific Theatre
Most Japanese forces in the theater were part of the Combined Fleet (連合艦隊, Rengō Kantai) of the
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), which was responsible for all Japanese warships,
naval aircraft, and
marine infantry units. The Rengō Kantai was led by Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, until he was killed in an
attack by U.S. fighter planes in April 1943.[2] Yamamoto was succeeded by Admiral
Mineichi Koga (1943–44)[2] and Admiral
Soemu Toyoda (1944–45).[3] The General Staff (参謀本部, Sanbō Honbu) of the
Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) was responsible for Imperial Japanese Army ground and air units in
Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. The IJN and IJA did not formally use joint/combined staff at the operational level, and their command structures/geographical areas of operations overlapped with each other and those of the Allies.