1938 in Japan

Incumbents

• Emperor: Hirohito
• Prime Minister: Fumimaro Konoe

  Events

• January - Taihoku Air Strike
• January-June - Battle of Northern and Eastern Henan
• January 1 - Pioneer Corporation was founded, as predecessor name was Fukuin Electronics Manufacturing.
• January 6 - Construction brand, Kumagai Gumi has founded in Fukui City.
• March 24 - National Mobilization Law
• March 24-April 7 - Battle of Taierzhuang
• March 24-May 1 - Battle of Xuzhou
• May - Battle of Lanfeng
• May 10-12 - Amoy Operation
• May 21 - Tsuyama massacre
• June 8 - Tokyo Film Production, as predecessor of Toei was founded.
• June 11-October 27 - Battle of Wuhan
• July 1 - Battle of Xinfeng
• July 5 - A heavy torrential rain with debris flow hit around Mount Rokko area, Hyogo Prefecture, official death number toll was 715 persons, according to Japanese government confirmed report.
• July 29-August 11 - Battle of Lake Khasan
• August 24 - According to Japanese government official confirmed report, two plane collided, following to crash and caught fire on factory in Omori region, official death toll was 70, with 60 persons were wounded.
• October 1-11 - Battle of Wanjialing
• October-December - Canton Operation
• December 27 - 1938 Unazuki avalanche, 84 persons were fatalities in Toyama Prefecture, according to Japanese government official confirmed report.

  Births

• January 13 - Nachi Nozawa, Japanese voice actor
• January 14 - Morihiro Hosokawa, politician and 50th Prime Minister of Japan
• January 23 - Giant Baba, professional wrestler
• January 25 - Shotaro Ishinomori, author, manga artist, Father of "Henshin heroes"
• February 4 - Isao Inokuma, judoka
• March 11 - Tatsuo Umemiya, actor, tarento, and businessman
• March 30 - Chiyoko Shimakura, enka singer
• March 31 - Michiko Nomura, actress and voice actress
• April 22 - Issey Miyake, fashion designer
• June 28 - Yōko Sano, writer and illustrator
• July 9 - Tura Satana, Japanese-born American actress
• September 3 - Ryōji Noyori, chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
• September 8 - Kenichi Horie, adventurer
• November 22 - Niro Shimada
• October 31 - Kei Tomiyama, actor, voice actor and narrator

  Deaths

• February 2 - Momosuke Fukuzawa, businessman
• May 4 - Kanō Jigorō, educator and founder of Judo
• May 21 - Mutsuo Toi, spree killer
• July 25 - Kōsaku Hamada, academic, archaeologist, author and President of Kyoto University
• September 17 - Sadao Yamanaka, film director and screenwriter
• October 5 - Chieko Takamura, artist
• October 19 - Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi
• November 20 - Enzo Matsunaga, author