▁promotion ▁to ▁major , ▁then ▁colon el , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Japan ▁in ▁a ▁posting ▁with ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Gu ards . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 5 - 1 9 1 6 , ▁Mut ō ▁was ▁Chief ▁of ▁ 2 nd ▁Section ▁( M ane u vers ), ▁ 1 st ▁Bureau , ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Army ▁General ▁Staff . ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁military ▁intelligence ▁and ▁head ed ▁the ▁Har bin ▁Special ▁Agency ▁and ▁oper ational ▁offices ▁in ▁Ir k ut sk ▁and ▁Om sk . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁administrative ▁positions ▁in ▁Japan ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 9 – 1 9 2 1 , ▁before ▁being ▁appointed ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁I J A ▁ 3 rd ▁Division ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁and ▁being ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁Russia ▁during ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁Ex ped ition ▁against ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁Red ▁Army . ▁ ▁Mut ō ▁returned ▁to ▁Japan ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁as ▁Vice ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Staff ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Supreme ▁War ▁Council ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 5 - 1 9 2 6 . ▁He ▁was ▁briefly ▁appointed ▁commander ▁of ▁Tokyo ▁Def ense ▁Command ▁before ▁assuming ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Commander ▁in ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁K w ant ung ▁Army , ▁from ▁ 2 8 ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁– ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁ ▁Baron ▁Mut ō ▁was