Seiji Naruse

Seiji Naruse

Seiji Naruse
Native name 成瀬 正二
Born (1893-12-26)December 26, 1893
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Died January 29, 1960(1960-01-29) (aged 66)
Yakuo-ji, Shinjuku, Japan
Allegiance  Empire of Japan
Service/branch  Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service 1920–1945
Rank Rear admiral
Awards

4th class, Order of the Sacred Treasure

Emperor's cup

Seiji Naruse (成瀬 正二 Naruse Seiji, December 26, 1893 – January 29, 1960) was a Japanese Rear-Admiral and Engineer.[1]
He was the only person who was posted as a Director of Torpedo Development Division in Yokosuka Naval District of Imperial Japanese Navy. He and his team designed and developed Type 91 torpedo, which was used in naval warfare in World War II by Imperial Japanese Navy. [2]

Early life and education

Seiji Naruse was born as the second son of Viscount Seikyo Naruse on December 26, 1893 in Yokohama, Japan. His father, Seikyo Naruse was president of “The 15 Bank” and was also managing some other banks and companies. Thus he grew up in a wealthy environment with his brothers (Seiichi Naruse, Shunsuke Naruse etc), and graduated First Higher School (jp:第一高等学校 (旧制)).[3]

He studied in Tokyo Imperial University (now University of Tokyo), and majored Weapons Technology in Faculty of Engineering. In 1920 he graduated Tokyo Imperial University and entered Imperial Japanese Navy as a Engineer officer. [4]

Military career

Seiji Naruse started his military career on July 21 (1920) in Yokosuka Naval District as an engineer of naval weapons. Then, he was promoted to the assistant division chief in Kure Naval Arsenal on December 23, 1922.

The year 1925 was a major turning point for him. He was promoted to the development management officer in Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department, and sent to the United Kingdom from May 20, 1925 to October 15, 1926. The purpose of this tour of duty was obtaining the technology of aerial torpedo, which did not exist in Japan at that time, therefore he diligently visited arsenals in UK.

After he returned, he made a project to develop the first (and last) domestic Aerial torpedo. Therewith he started to develop aerial torpedo in Yokosuka Naval Arsenal from May 1, 1927. On December 1 (1930), he moved to the Combined Fleet for the examination of the prototype. Finally he engaged to the production and the deployment of completed “Type 91 torpedo” as the development management officer in Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department from December 1, 1931.

He and his team continuously improved Type 91 torpedo multiple times, at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal (from December 1, 1932), Kure Naval Arsenal (from July 1, 1936), and Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal (from June 15, 1940). On April 1 (1943), Navy newly created Torpedo Development Division for him, and he worked as a director of this new division until the end of World War II.

During the World War II, Type 91 torpedo were used as a main weapon for Naval warfare.

Dates of Rank

Post war

On September 30 (1945) Seiji Naruse retired the Navy along with the dissolving of Imperial Japanese Navy. After the retirement, he managed to utilize old Arsenal site for industrial recovery, such as Tokyu Car Corporation.

In 1952, along with the foundation of Technical Research and Development Institute in National Safe Agency, he worked in the 5th Research Center and hand his torpedo technology on to the next generation.[5]

Personal life

Seiji Naruse married Sumi Nakamura (January 26, 1900-December 23, 1994), who was a daughter of Lieutenant general Yūjirō Nakamura (jp:中村雄次郎).
They had three children.[6]

Family

See also

References

  1. ↑ Record of Aerial Torpedo Development (航空魚雷ノート) , Kyu-ichi Kai, 1985
  2. ↑ "Japan Torpedoes of World War II". NavWeaps.com. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  3. ↑ Biography "Sei-ichi Naruse (1)", Y. Sekiguchi, Bunkyo University, 2006
  4. ↑ "Japanese Naval Engineers and their Career". Retrieved 2016-07-25.
  5. ↑ History of the 5th Research Center (第５研究所史) , Technical Research and Development Institute
  6. ↑ Biography "Sei-ichi Naruse (2)", Y. Sekiguchi, Bunkyo University, 2006

Bibliography

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