WWII Japanese Army ”Kempeitai” Military Police Captain’s tunic in Excellent Condition

The Kempeitai was the military police of the Imperial Japanese Army. The organization also shared civilian secret police, espionage, and counter-intelligence roles within Japan and its occupied territories, and was notorious for its brutality and role in suppressing dissent. The broad duties of the Kempeitai included maintaining military discipline, enforcing conscription laws, protecting vital military zones, and investigating crimes among soldiers. In occupied areas, it also issued travel permits, recruited labor, arrested resistance, requisitioned food and supplies, spread propaganda, and suppressed anti-Japanese sentiment. At its peak at the end of World War II, the Kempeitai was an extensive corps with about 35,000 personnel.

This is a beautifully tailored Type 98 tunic made of pre-war dark khaki wool. Pairs of Captain’s collar tabs andv Kempeitai metal (brass) insignia are originally sewn to the collar, so this tunic is in accordance with the 1940 regulation which stipulated application of the metal insignia on the collar and  removal of the branch color chest patch. Above the left chest pocket flap, there is a sign of a branch color patch formerly applied. The tunic is not named.  However, because of the roles they played during the war, the Kempeitai personnel often faced war criminal allegations after the war, so it is possible that the name tag was removed from the tunic.  The tunic is without moth damage.  Above the left chest pocket flap, a loop for a two-place medal bar (not a loop for a ribbon bar!) is present.  Unfortunately, no medals accompanied the tunic when it was found.

An original Kempeitai officer’s tunic is extremely rare, don’t miss out on this one which comes directly from Japan and has not been in a collection before!!