Tachibana Shūta (橘 周太, 3 November 1865 – 31 August 1904) was a soldier in the early Imperial Japanese Army, noted for his heroic death in combat during the Russo-Japanese War.

On 21 July 1887 he graduated from the 9th class of the predecessor of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the IJA 5th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Aomori Prefecture.

He authored a number of military manuals, including "Education of Recruits" (新兵教育) , "Teaching night infantry maneuvers" (歩兵夜間教育) , "Rules of the passage through the forest " (森林通過法).

After the start of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, Tachibana was initially assigned to the staff of the Japanese Second Army, but a few months later received a combat posting to command the 1st Battalion of the IJA 34th Infantry Regiment.

[1][failed verification – see discussion] Although Tachibana’s rash and impetuous action led to his death without accomplishing anything notable on the battlefield[citation needed] , wartime propaganda immediately seized on his story.