ō chi ▁Pref ect ure , ▁but ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁Kan az awa , ▁I sh ik awa , ▁where ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁rec ruit ing ▁officer ▁for ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Army . ▁After ▁attended ▁military ▁prepar atory ▁schools ▁in ▁Kan az awa ▁and ▁N ago ya , ▁he ▁graduated ▁ 6 th ▁out ▁of ▁ 2 7 3 ▁cad ets ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁class ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Army ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁His ▁class m ates ▁included ▁Prince ▁As aka , ▁Prince ▁H ig ash ik uni ▁Nar uh iko , ▁Prince ▁Kit ash ira ka wa ▁Nar uh isa , ▁M its uru ▁U sh ij ima , ▁He itar ō ▁Kim ura , ▁Tak ashi ▁Sak ai , ▁and ▁Sh ō j ir ō ▁I ida . ▁ ▁His ▁special ity ▁was ▁art illery . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁graduated ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁his ▁class ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 8 th ▁class ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁Staff ▁College ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁▁ ▁After ▁serving ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁staff ▁and ▁administrative ▁positions ▁within ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Army ▁General ▁Staff , ▁Sh im om ura ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁France ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁attach é ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Str ategy ▁and ▁Pl anning ▁b ureau ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Staff ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁the ▁Army