The Japanese 23rd Army was established on June 26, 1941, under the command of the Imperial General Headquarters.
It was transferred to the control of the China Expeditionary Army on August 12 of the same year.
It was based in Guangdong province and on Hainan Island to replace the Southern China Area Army which was disbanded June 26, 1941.
Sakai and Tanaka were tried in China and executed, while Imamura received a life sentence from an Australian military court.
Viewing his own sentence as too lenient, Imamura built his own prison in which he imprisoned himself until his death in 1967.