Lt. General Niro Inouye

[webr55]

This is an interesting photo I got from Detlev many years ago. Finally, I have been able to research some of its background story.

The picture was given by a Japanese officer, then Major, to a German officer, then Hauptmann, in Berlin in 1899. 

[webr55]

The back says "Herrn Hauptmann Pophal zur freundlichen Erinnerung, 1896-99, Niro Inouye, Major in Japan".

Partly because of different spellings, it was not easy to find out anything about Major Inouye, but eventually I did. I consulted the "Who's Who in Japan" from 1913 and 1916, and there he is. This is a picture of the later

Lt. General Niro Inouye (in Japanese characters:  井上仁廊 )

born May 1864 in Ehime-ken, second son of Wataru Inouye and Yoshi

• 1885 graduated from the Military Academy 
• 1885 Sub-Lieutenant of the Engineers
• 1888 Lieutenant
• 1893 Captain
• 1895-99 Sent to Germany for Training
• 1900 Major
• 1902 Lieutenant-Colonel
• 1906 Colonel
• 1910 Major-General
• 1915 Lieutenant-General

In the Russo-Japanese war of 1905, the Who's Who says, he "rendered excellent services in the administrations of the Military railways, for which he was awarded the 3rd Order of the Rising Sun together with the 3rd Class of the Golden Kite." His address in 1913 was No. 14, Nakacho, Ushigome, Tokyo.

In 1916, he was commander of the Communication Brigade and Member of the Committee for the Study of Military Aeroplanes

 

Major Inouye's awards on his bar are:

Order of the Golden Kite 5th or 6th class
Order of the Sacred Treasure 5th or 6th class
1894-95 China War Medal
Imperial Constitution Promulgation Commemorative Medal (probably)

 

 

Here is the entry from Who's Who in Japan 1913:

 

 

The German officer the picture card was dedicated to is (thanks to Glenn for some of the info!)

Generalmajor Paul Pophal (27 Sep 1854 - 18 Jan 1924)

Sekonde-Lieutenant: 13.10.77
Premier-Lieutenant: 12.6.86 (served in Eisenbahn (Train)-Regiment Berlin)
From 1890 on, he taught at the Technische Hochschule (Technical University) Berlin (where he met Inouye)
Hauptmann: 19.9.91 (served in Eisenbahn-Regiment Nr. 3, Berlin)
22.5.1900 Major
In 1906, he was teacher at the military-technical academy in Berlin.
21.5.1906 Oberstleutnant
19.8.1909 Oberst

Direktor der Militär-Eisenbahn from 18 Oct 1909 - 18 Nov 1911 when he retired as an Oberst. He was recalled for service in WW1 and served as the Chef d. Bau-Direktion 10.

Awards as of 1911: Red Eagle 3rd class with bow, Crown Order 3rd class, Long Service Award, Austrian Military Merit Cross 3rd class.

 

Edited March 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

Not sure if it is possible to find out more about Inouye, such as his death date. Anyone has access to Japanese sources?

[JapanX]

Nice photo.

 

His actual name is

 

井上仁郎

Inouye, Niro

 

Later photo https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/井上仁郎

1 hour ago, webr55 said:

 

Major Inouye's awards on his bar are:

Order of the Golden Kite 5th or 6th class
Order of the Sacred Treasure 5th or 6th class
1894-95 China War Medal
Imperial Constitution Promulgation Commemorative Medal (probably)

 

 

 

Most likely 5th class kite (4th class is another theoretical possibility) 

I wonder why he didn`t wear his "Constitution" on later photo.  

[webr55]

Oh! Thanks for that! So the Who's Who spelt his name incorrectly. For some reason, I didn't check the Japanese Wikipedia. So he died in 1920.

I'm not too familiar with Japanese uniforms. What rank does he have in the Wikipedia picture?

Edited March 11, 2017 by webr55

[JapanX]

He died January 11, 1920

Looks like lieutenant-colonel.

[webr55]

10 hours ago, JapanX said:

He died January 11, 1920

Looks like lieutenant-colonel.

Thanks! So probably, the photo was taken in 1905, after the Russo-Japanese war, when he got 3rd class Kite and Rising Sun.

 

[JapanX]

I think photo was made somewhere between 1906 and 1909  

[webr55]

On 11.3.2017 at 22:10, JapanX said:

I think photo was made somewhere between 1906 and 1909  

You're right, he became Lt Col in 1906, so before his promotion to Colonel in 1909.

[webr55]

Really nice in color: