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Japan. Imperial Japanese Army Military Passport (Guntai Techō) and Student Book of a Young Soldier Enlisted in Kyoto in 1945
The Japanese Military Passport, known as Guntai Techō (軍隊手帳), was a personal identification booklet issued to every soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army during the first half of the 20th century, especially throughout World War II. This small book accompanied the serviceman during his entire military career, serving as a combination of personal record, service log, and official identification document essential for any procedure within the military hierarchy.
Inside the Guntai Techō were recorded the soldier’s personal details — name, rank, unit, address, religion, blood type — as well as his service history, promotions, decorations, assigned weapons, vaccinations, and medical notes. Soldiers were required to memorize the contents of this document, which symbolized discipline, duty, and loyalty to the Empire.
This particular example belonged to a young student from Kyoto, who enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army in 1945, during the final months of World War II. It is accompanied by his student book, providing a rare glimpse into the transition from civilian life to military service in Japan’s last wartime generation.
