Katagiri was born in
Kagawa prefecture. He graduated from the 25th class of the
Imperial Japanese Army Academy in May 1913 and was initially attached to the IJA 11th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the 36th class of the
Army Staff College in November 1924, and was subsequently assigned to the
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office. From September 1926, Katagiri was assigned to the
Chosen Army in
Korea as head of a special
military intelligence unit operating in
Siberia and
Manchuria. Afterwards, he returned to Tokyo as an instructor at the Army Academy and Staff College, as an
aide-de-camp to
Prince Mikasa, instructor at the Cavalry School, and commander of the IJA 27th Cavalry Regiment, During the
Second Sino-Japanese War, Katagiri was promoted to colonel in the cavalry in August 1937, and in November of the same year became
chief of staff of the
IJA 1st Division which was stationed in
Manchukuo under the aegis of the
Kwantung Army. Katagiri was promoted to
major general in August 1939 and assigned command of the
IJA 1st Cavalry Brigade the following month, operating with the
Mongolia Garrison Army to December 1940, when he returned to Japan. He subsequently became military advisor to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and vice-bureau head for the Inspectorate of Cavalry. In December 1942, Katagiri was promoted to
lieutenant general. In July 1943, he was ordered to replace General
Shigemasa Aoki, who had died of
malaria while commanding the
IJA 20th Division in
New Guinea. His headquarters was near Gali, New Guinea, and marched with his troops to reinforce
Finschhafen after the
Australian landings. Katagiri was the primary Japanese commander at the
Battle of Finschhafen between September and October 1943 in the
Huon Peninsula campaign. He gathered his forces at
Sattelberg but was forced to retreat after being defeated during the
Battle of Sattelberg on 25 October 1943. During the
Battle of Hollandia at the end of April 1944, Katagiri was killed in combat while en route from
Madang to
Wewak. == Notes ==