Ni idahun si awọn Allied landings on Guadalcanal, awọn Japanese Imperial General Headquarters fifun Ichika Japanese Army's (IJA) 17th Army (IJA) Ichika, a corps-sized command based at Rabaul and under the command of Lieutenant General Harukichi Hyakutake, the task of retaking Guadalcanal. The army was to be supported by Japanese naval units, including the Combined Fleet under the command of Isoroku Yamamoto, which was headquartered at Truk. The 17th Army, at that time heavily involved in the Japanese campaign in New Guinea, had only a few units available. Of these, the 35th Infantry Brigade under Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi was at Palau, the 4th (Aoba) Infantry Regiment was at the Philippines and the 28th (IJA) Infantry Regiment, a corps-sized command based at Rabaul and under the command of Lieutenant General Ichiki Ichika began the task of retaking Guadalcanal early on August 14th.
Olóyè Ọ̀gágun Harukichi Hyakutake