The 4th Division was formed in Osaka City in January 1871 as the Osaka Garrison, one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Osaka Garrison had responsibility for the central region of Honshū, ranging from Shiga Prefecture to Hyōgo Prefecture. The six regional commands were transformed into divisions under the army reorganization of 14 May 1888.
On 10 February 1937, the 4th Division came under the command of the Kwantung Army in Manchuria. Actually departing Osaka 6 September 1937, and landing in Daegu 12 September 1937. It participated in Central Hubei Operation, Battle of South Henan, and :ja:江北作戦|Jiangbei operation. It was transferred to the 11th Army on 1 July 1940. In September 1941, the division participated in Battle of Changsha. From 11 June 1941, it started reorganization to a triangular division, giving 70th infantry regiment to 25th division and eventually transferred to the active reserve force in the Japanese home islands. In March 1942, the reorganization was complete and 4th Division was then reassigned to the 14th Army, arriving in the Philippines to participate in the Battle of Bataan on 3 April 1942. The 4th division also significantly contributed to Japanese efforts in the Battle of Corregidor 5 May 1942. After the Philippines Campaign ended 8 May 1942, the division was returned to home islands to perform security duties. It came under the control of the 25th Army in September 1943. The 4th division has departed from Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū on 10 October 1943 and performed garrison duties on Sumatra from early November 1943. Parts of the 4th division were on Chikago Maru transport when it was sunk 15 October 1943, and therefore were temporarily diverted to Kaohsiung. Assigned to the 15th Army 14 January 1945, its final headquarters was in Lampang, Thailand. The 4th division started disbanding in June 1946. The soldiers were repatriated from Bangkok back to the Japanese ports of Uraga and Kagoshima. Last sub-unit, a field hospital, departed Bangkok 4 June 1946 and arrived to Kagoshima 25 June 1946. By 27 June 1946 the dissolution of the 4th division was complete.
Memorial headquarters building
The original headquarters for the 4th Division was Osaka Castle. When the castle was reconstructed in 1931, a new headquarters building was erected within the castle grounds a short distance away by donations raised from the citizens of Osaka, so that the castle and its immediate surroundings could be made into a public park. In 1940, the headquarters moved again, this time to Hōkoku Shrine area. The divisional arsenal in Osaka detonated 14 August 1945 due to Allied bombing, resulting in light damage to the headquarters buildings. As of 2013, the headquarters building remained as a war memorial within the Osaka Castle Park. Noted commanders in the history of the 4th Division have included Takashima Tomonosuke, Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa, Ichinohe Hyoe, Abe Nobuyuki, Terauchi Hisaichi, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko and Tomoyuki Yamashita.
