11th Division

The 11th Division (第11師団, Dai Jūichi Shidan) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its tsūshōgō code name was the Brocade Division (錦兵団, Nishiki-heidan). The 11th Division was one of six infantry divisions newly raised by the Imperial Japanese Army after the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). The division received its colors on 1 October 1898 and was disbanded in September 1945. Its troops were recruited primarily from communities in the four prefectures of the island of Shikoku. It was originally headquartered in the city of Zentsuji, Kagawa, and its first commander was Lieutenant General Nogi Maresuke.

The 11th Division was one of the three Japanese divisions deployed to Shanghai in China during the January 28 Incident in 1932. It returned to Shanghai in July 1937 with the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

In February 1944, a large part of division (3rd battalions of 12th infantry, 43rd infantry and 11th mountain artillery regiments) of the 11th Division's strength were detached to 10th Independent Mixed Regiment (tsūshōgō code 17584) and sent to Guam to reinforce the 1st division, which was annihilated at the Battle of Guam (1944) in July–August 1944.

In April 1945, the remainder of the 11th Division was transferred from Manchukuo back to Shikoku under command of the 55th army in preparation for the expected Allied invasion of Japan. It and disbanded with the surrender of Japan in August 1945.