1939 in Japan

Incumbents

• Emperor: Hirohito
• Prime Minister: Fumimaro Konoe until January 5, then Nobuyuki Abe

  Events

• February - Hainan Island Operation
• March - Battle of Xiushui River
• March 1 - According to Japanese government official confirmed report, Japanese Imperial Army ammunition dump explode in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, 94 persons were human fatalities, 602 persons were hurt.
• March 17-May 9 - Battle of Nanchang
• April 20-May 24 - Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang
• May 11-September 16 - Battles of Khalkhin Gol
• June - Swatow Operation
• June 1 -Nippon Electric Works and Showa Fertilizer were merger, becomes name was Showa Denko.
• September 13-October 8 - Battle of Changsha
• Unknown date - Mukogawa Higher Women's School was founded, as predecessor of Mukogawa Women's University.

  Births

• February 9 - Tadahiro Matsushita, politician
• March 2 - Takako, Princess Suga, youngest child of Emperor Shōwa
• April 9 - Ikuko Tani, actress, voice actress and narrator
• August 13 - Shijaku Katsura, rakugo performer
• September 22 - Junko Tabei, mountaineer, first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest

  Deaths

• February 18 - Kanoko Okamoto, author, poet, and Buddhist scholar
• March 29 - Michizō Tachihara, poet and architect
• September 7 - Kyōka Izumi, novelist and Kabuki playwright
• November 11 - Kagaku Murakami, painter and illustrator
• December 25 - Masao Nakamura, major general