Japan Military Records

Japan Wiki Topics
Beginning Research
Research Strategies Record Finder
Record Types
Adoption Buddhist Records Calendars Cemeteries Census Church Records Civil Registration Emigration & Immigration Family Registration	Compiled Genealogies Koseki Military Records Online Records Periodicals Record Loss Religious Records Research Methods Village Records
Japan Background
Gazetteers History Jurisdictions Languages Local History Maps	Personal Names Name Changes Word List For Further Reading
Local Research Resources
Archives & Libraries Societies Family History Centers

Japan

Military Records

Enshrined Patriots’ Lists (Senshisha Meibo)

What they are

These records are lists of heroic soldiers and patriots (aikokusha) who are honored and enshrined at various shrines and temples. The Yasukuni shrine (jinja) near Tokyo is government funded. They cover the time period from 1852—1945.

Use these records to

If you have military ancestry, you can use these records to identify specific individuals and find their death information. You can also use them to establish relationships.

Content

These records cover 40 to 50 percent of all soldiers who died during this period, about 30 percent of the total population. A typical Enshrined Patriot list contains:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Permanent domicile

How to obtain them

The family History Library has a few of these microfilms, especially earlier ones. In Japan, they are found at the Yasukuni shrine, local shrines, memorial museums in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare Office. Printed materials are available to the public. Original documents are kept in the Yasukuni shrine, and are available to the relatives of the patriot only.