The following report on the organization of Japanese task forces in China is taken from Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 19, February 25, 1943. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

JAPANESE TASK FORCE IN CHINA In regard to the various Japanese military campaigns in China during the past year, one factor of outstanding interest has been the composition of their task forces. These task forces appear to have been comprised of units selected from various first-line Japanese divisions. The selection of given units has been based on the convenience of their location with respect to the transportation problem in assembling a task force, as well as on the past record of a unit for efficient service in such forces. It is reported that these task forces have always been dissolved after a particular campaign, and the various units returned to their former stations. The composition of one of these task forces is given at the end of this article. It should not necessarily be regarded as typical, owing to the circumstances noted above, and also because the Japanese, like the Germans, have little regard for the employment of units on the basis of tables of organization. The units are drawn from at least three divisions, though the total strength of the task force is probably less than 7,500 men. Intelligence officers should note that even though a number of small Japanese units are identified on a given front, they will not necessarily indicate the strength or composition of the Japanese opposition. For purposes of security, fictitious numbers are used to designate units. UNIT A     Commander: CO 2d Inf, 1st Div 1st Bn, 1st Inf, 1st Div 2d Bn, 2d Inf, 1st Div 3d Btry, 3d Mtn Arty Regt, 1st Div Medical detachment   UNIT B Commander: CO 2d Bn, 14th Inf 2d Bn, 14th Inf, 15th Div 5th Btry, 16th Mtn Arty Regt, 15th Div Infantry gun detachment   UNIT C Commander: CO 3d Bn, 22d Inf 3d Bn, 22d Inf, 25th Div 2d Btry, 23d Arty Regt, 25th Div Infantry gun detachment Transport detachment Medical detachment   TASK FORCE TROOPS Cavalry platoon Artillery battery 4th Btry, 1st Bn, 3d Mtn Arty Regt, 1st Div Engineer company Transport detachment Signal detachment (radio) Medical detachment 10th F Hosp (from 48th Div) Veterinary detachment (from Fifth Army) Water purification detachment

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