 On 15 September , General <unk> at Rabaul learned of <unk> 's defeat , the Imperial Japanese Army 's first defeat involving a unit of this size in the war . The general <unk> the news to the Imperial General Headquarters in Japan . In an emergency session , the top Japanese army and navy command staffs concluded that , " <unk> might develop into the decisive battle of the war . " The results of the battle began to have a telling strategic impact on Japanese operations in other areas of the Pacific . <unk> realized that , in order to send sufficient troops and materiel to defeat the Allied forces on <unk> , he could no longer support the major Japanese offensive on the <unk> Track in New Guinea . <unk> — with the <unk> of the General Headquarters — ordered his troops on New Guinea , who were within 30 mi ( 48 km ) of their objective of Port Moresby — to withdraw until the <unk> matter was resolved . The Japanese were never able to restart their drive towards Port Moresby ; the defeat at <unk> 's Ridge contributed not only to Japan 's defeat in the <unk> campaign , but also to Japan 's ultimate defeat throughout the South Pacific . 
