Ryūnosuke Kusaka

Japan state institutions Counter-revolutionary forces 1893–1971 ○ Died

Nagumo's chief of staff who wrote the Pearl Harbor attack plan and escaped the burning Akagi at Midway

The son of a Sumitomo zaibatsu director, born in Tokyo, he graduated from the naval academy in 1913 and specialised in naval aviation at the Naval Staff College. After commanding the carriers Hōshō and Akagi, he became chief of staff of Chūichi Nagumo's First Air Fleet in April 1941 and wrote most of the Pearl Harbor attack plan with Minoru Genda's help. When Akagi was bombed at Midway he persuaded Nagumo to shift his flag, and sprained both ankles and was burned in his own escape. After the defeat he talked the fleet commanders out of suicide. Promoted vice admiral in 1944, he became chief of staff of the Combined Fleet, and on the day Japan surrendered took over the 5th Air Fleet after Matome Ugaki's suicide.

Also known as: Ryunosuke Kusaka