Obata was the fifth son of a Chinese language scholar from
Osaka prefecture. He attended military preparatory schools and graduated from the 23rd class of the
Imperial Japanese Army Academy in December 1911, specializing in
cavalry operations. In 1919, he graduated from the 31st class of the
Army War College and was promoted to the rank of captain in the cavalry. From April 1923, Obata was assigned as a
military attaché to the
United Kingdom and from November 1927 to August 1934 as military attaché to
British India. In August 1934, he was promoted to
colonel in the cavalry and recalled to Japan for staff postings within the
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff. Obata was promoted to
major general in March 1938, and was reassigned from cavalry to
army aviation. He was appointed Commandant of the
Akeno Army Air School in August 1938. In December 1940, he was promoted to
lieutenant general and commander of the
IJA 5th Air Group in
Taiwan, where he was stationed at the start of the
Pacific War. His command was subsequently assigned to the
Burma front in 1942. In May 1943, he became
commander in chief of the
IJA 3rd Air Army but was recalled to
Tokyo in December. On 18 February 1944, Obata was assigned command of the
Thirty First Army, with the
IJA 29th Division and
IJA 53rd Division in charge of the defense of the
Mariana Islands from the approaching
Allied forces. He was away from his headquarters on
Saipan at the time of the American invasion and established his new command post on
Guam. However, at the
Battle of Guam he ordered an all-out attack at midnight, 25 July 1944, but was soon overwhelmed by superior American numbers and firepower, losing more than 80% of his men. He retreated with his forces to the northern end of the island, and most of these men were killed in attacks on American armored forces in early August. Obata committed
seppuku on 11 August 1944 in
Yigo, Guam, ending Japanese attempts to hold the island. Obata was promoted posthumously to the rank of
general. His wife was a daughter of Field Marshal
Kawamura Kageaki. ==References==