Operation KETSU-GO

Operation KETSU-GO was the top-level Japanese plan for defense of the home islands against American amphibious warfare. Given Japan's shortages in resources and technology, it was not intended to throw back an invasion, but to make it so costly that the United States would be more willing to negotiate.

Like the corresponding U.S. Operation DOWNFALL, it broadly split Japan into two defense zones, one for Kyushu and one for the Kanto Plain. There were contingencies for outlying areas, and a special defense zone, within the Kanto Plain, for Tokyo.

Plan	Area covered	Command	Reporting
KETSU-GO 1	Hokkaido, Kuriles, souther Sakhalin	Fifth Area Army	Imperial General Headquarters
KETSU-GO 2
KETSU-GO 3	Central Honshu	Twelfth Area Army	First General Army
KETSU-GO 4
KETSU-GO 5
KETSU-GO 6	Kyushu	Sixteenth Area Army	Second General Army
KETSU-GO 7