▁observer ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁deleg ation ▁at ▁the ▁Gene va ▁Naval ▁Conference ▁negoti ations ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁colon el . ▁ ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Gene va ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁colon el ▁in ▁August . ▁The ▁Gene va ▁Conference ▁on ▁Dis arm ament ▁occurred ▁in ▁December . ▁From ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁Sh im om ura ▁was ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁I J A ▁ 1 st ▁He avy ▁Field ▁Art illery ▁Regiment . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁Sh im om ura ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁K w ant ung ▁Army , ▁returning ▁to ▁Japan ▁in ▁December ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁an ▁instruct or ▁at ▁the ▁Army ▁Staff ▁College . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁general ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Staff ▁as ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Bureau ▁from ▁ ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Bureau ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Bureau ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁oper ational ▁planning , ▁and ▁Sh im om ura ▁was ▁strong ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁a ▁more ▁ag gress ive ▁approach ▁towards ▁the ▁Ku om int ang ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁Shang hai ▁area ▁and ▁his