noun
area army; field army
Historical military term for a large operational command of the Imperial Japanese Army, roughly equivalent to a field army or army group.
太平洋戦争中、南方方面軍は東南アジア全域を担当した。
During the Pacific War, the Southern Area Army was responsible for the entire Southeast Asian region.
方面軍は複数の軍を統括する大規模な編制だった。
An area army was a large formation that commanded multiple armies.
総軍 is an even larger formation, a general army, above the 方面軍 in the IJA hierarchy.
Compound of 方面 (area, direction) and 軍 (army). The term was used in the Imperial Japanese Army to designate a large operational command responsible for a geographic area.