Ships
- IJN Karukaya Captain, 15 November 1933 – 11 January 1934
- IJN Asakaze Captain, 1 December 1936 – 1 December 1937
- IJN Yugure Captain, 1 December 1937 – 12 January 1938
- IJN Hatsuyuki Captain, 25 June 1938 – 1 December 1938
- IJN Shirayuki Captain, with Hatsuyuki, 25 June 1938 – 5 October 1938
Zenji Ichimon came out of the 48th class at Etajima. His home register was Kumamoto. Before he had a ship of his own he was torpedo officer of the heavy cruiser Kinugasa. He did not command her.
His first command was the second-class destroyer Karukaya, from 15 November 1933 to 11 January 1934. On 1 December 1936 he took Asakaze, an older Kamikaze-class destroyer. He had her for a year, through the opening of the war in China, and left her on 1 December 1937.
That same day he took Yugure, a Hatsuharu-class destroyer in Destroyer Division 9. He held her six weeks, until 12 January 1938.
On 25 June 1938, still a lieutenant commander, he took Hatsuyuki. The same day he was also named captain of her sister Shirayuki. He left Shirayuki on 5 October 1938 and stayed with Hatsuyuki until 1 December 1938, when Wakahito Yamakuma relieved him. No battle report carries his name. The China war for these ships was blockade and landing work, and the surviving record is the appointment.
After that the lists put him ashore. He does not come back as a wartime captain. Kinugasa was sunk on 14 November 1942. Shirayuki was sunk in the Bismarck Sea on 3 March 1943. Yugure was sunk on 20 July 1943, and Hatsuyuki off Buin on 17 July 1943. Karukaya was sunk off Luzon on 10 May 1944, and Asakaze on 23 August 1944. He had already left every one of them.