Nobumasa Suetsugu

was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and briefly served as Home Minister in the 1940s.

Biography Suetsugu was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture as the younger son of a former samurai in the service of Tokuyama Domain. He graduated from the 27th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, ranked 50th out of 114 cadets. He served as a junior officer on several smaller craft, including a combat tour during the Russo-Japanese War on the gunboat . After the war, he attended the Naval Staff College where he specialized in naval artillery, graduating with honors from the class of 1909 with the rank of lieutenant commander.

After his return to Japan in 1916, he served on the staff of the IJN 1st Fleet. In December 1918, Suetsugu was promoted to captain and was given command of the cruiser . He was promoted to rear admiral in 1923 and vice admiral in 1927. In December 1931, he became commander of the Maizuru Naval District and in December 1932 became commander of the IJN 2nd Fleet. In 1933, he commanded the Combined Fleet and the IJN 1st Fleet. He was promoted to full admiral in 1934, and became commander of the Yokosuka Naval District in December of the same year.

In December 1935, Suetsugu joined the Supreme War Council. He retired from active service in October 1937 and entered the reserves. He was outspoken against those in the government and even those in the Imperial Japanese Army who were advocating a negotiated settlement to end the Second Sino-Japanese War.

He served as a Cabinet councilor under the Hiranuma administration from January to August 1939, and as a special advisor to the cabinet under the Koiso administration from October to the end of December 1944.

Suetsugu died in December 1944. His grave is at the Tama Cemetery in Fuchū, Tokyo.

Family Suetsugu's eldest son Nobuyoshi followed him into the Imperial Japanese Navy, graduating 20th out of 113 cadets in the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy's 58th Class and rising to the rank of Commander. On 7 April 1945, he was Killed in Action (KIA) aboard the battleship Yamato while serving as a Staff officer of Second Fleet and was posthumously promoted to Captain.