Keiji Shibazaki

Keiji Shibazaki
Born	(1894-05-09)9 May 1894 Kasai, Hyōgo, Japan
Died	20 November 1943(1943-11-20) (aged 49)[1] Tarawa, Kiribati
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Service/branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service	1915–1943
Rank	Vice Admiral (posthumous)
Commands held	Gunboat Ataka, Tarawa Garrison
Battles/wars	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II Battle of Tarawa †

Keiji Shibazaki (柴崎 恵次, Shibazaki Keiji, 9 April 1894 – 20 November 1943) was a Rear Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was the commander of the Japanese garrison on the island of Betio of the Tarawa atoll during World War II. Shibazaki and all his senior officers were killed by naval gunfire on the first day of the Battle of Tarawa. He was posthumously promoted to vice-admiral.