IJICHI, Hikojiro. Born Satsuma, later Kagoshima Prefecture; entered naval academy (1874); ensign (1883); study in France (1890); attaché at legation in Italy (1891); varied career of sea duty and shore posts (1891-1903); captain (1900); in Russo-Japanese war, commanded Admiral Togo Heihachiro's flagship, the battleship Mikasa, seeing action at Port Arthur (February-June 1904), the battle of the Yellow Sea (August 1904), and Tsushima (May 1905); after the war and the mysterious ammunition explosion and sinking of the Mikasa at Sasebo (September 1905), saw no more sea duty, yet had responsible posts in navy ministry and was promoted to rear admiral (1906), then vice admiral (1909); placed on largely honorary board of generals and admirals (1911).