This poster is for the Shōhi (Rikugun Shōnen Hikōhei / in Japanese: 陸軍少年飛行兵), which translates to "Imperial Army Youth Aviation Soldiers". The Shohi was a multi-year training course for teens, mostly aged 15-17 (1940-43) and then came the Tokkan in December 1943 with the age requirement of 14-20 (1944-45). I am talking about the Tokkan because the cadets in the Shohi program would finish with the same fate as the Tokkan.

You might be wondering, "why was the Imperial Japanese Army printing such posters and giving them an NCO rank to a 15-17 year old while regular infantrymen fought for years just to be a sergeant?" Well, the Imperial Japanese Army wouldn't give a priceless combat plane to a private, because mostly of legal authority. A pilot needed the rank of a Corporal (伍長, Gocho) or a Sergeant (軍曹, Gunso), because he commanded the navigation and the gunners on the plane, and a simple private wouldn't be able to command a Sergeant to navigate or to fire a gun because of legal authority, so the pilot needed to have the highest position and authority in the plane.

But then came December 1943, the Tokkan program, which was an accelerated crash course that made them Privates on day one, getting them through basic training and flight school at a fast speed (technically in one or one and a half years) to give them the Corporal or Sergeant position. The Tokkan was launched because the IJAAF was losing many experienced Shohi pilots in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, so they decided to launch this program to try to get back such pilots to try and hold air superiority.

I brought in the Tokkan, because in late 1944, the high command put both groups into Tokko (Special Attack/Kamikaze) squadrons, so they both suffered the exact same fate.

The translation of the poster:

 First line: 陸軍少年飛行兵 (Imperial Army Youth Aviation Soldier)

Second line: 操縦・整備・通信 (Piloting • Maintenance • Communications "these were the three majors/tracks they could choose") 

Third line: 東亰陸軍航空學校生徒 (Students of the Tokyo Army Aviation School)

The bottom area, right column (read right to left): 問合せ先 / 各聯隊区司令部 / 陸軍航空本部 / 各市町村役場 (Headquaters of each Regiment District / Army Aviation Headquarters / Each City, Town, or Village Office.)

Left column: ⾓齢・⼗五年以上⼗七年未満ノ者 (Persons 15 years old or older, and under 17 years old.)



 

  


  


Imperial Japanese Army Youth Aviation Soldier Recruitment Poster (Circa 1940-1943)