Kakuji Kakuta

, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He is noted for his role in commanding Japanese naval aviation units in the Pacific War.

Biography Kakuta was a native of rural Minamikanbara, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy, scoring 45th out of a class of 145 cadets in 1911. He served as midshipman on the cruiser and battlecruiser . On commissioning as ensign, he was assigned to the cruiser . Later, as a lieutenant, he served on the battleship and the cruiser during World War I. He then served on the battleship and destroyer , and was chief gunner on the cruisers and .

Kakuta was appointed as equipment officer on the cruiser in 1923. He then attended the 23rd class of the Naval Staff College, and was promoted to lieutenant commander upon graduation. In 1926, he served as chief gunner on the cruiser and subsequently in a number of staff positions. His first command was the cruiser , beginning on 10 March 1934. He subsequently commanded cruisers Furutaka and , and battleships and . He was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1939.

At the start of the Pacific War in December 1941, Kakuta was in command of Carrier Division 4, consisting of the aircraft carrier , which provided air support for landings of Japanese forces in the Philippines. Kakuta also participated in the Indian Ocean Raid against British bases in India and Ceylon in early 1942.

During the Battle of Midway in June 1942, Kakuta commanded a task force consisting of carriers and that conducted air raids against Dutch Harbor as part of the initial stages of the Aleutian Islands Campaign.