General Miura

General Miura is the main antagonist of Ip Man. He is an Imperial Japanese Army officer overseeing the occupation of Foshan. Miura, a Karate master, is fascinated by Chinese martial arts and offers the young men of Foshan extra rations in exchange for sparring against his military trainees. He is portrayed by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi.

Biography
The Japanese Empire invades southern China in 1937. The city of Foshan, known for its flourishing martial arts community, is quickly subjugated. General Miura oversees the occupation. His staff move into Ip Man's former residence and use it as their headquarters. The people of Foshan are forced into back-breaking labor with little food.

Eager to study Chinese Kung Fu, Miura orders his aide, Colonel Sato, to bring local martial artists to his dojo to spar with his military trainees. Those who can win a match are rewarded with a bag of rice. Miura observes the sparring sessions and decides to participate himself. He chooses to battle three men at once and offers them rice even if they lose. The general easily defeats the three young men, but one of them, Ip Man's friend Lin, refuses to concede and even spits in the general's face. Enraged, Miura beats Lin to death.

When Lin does not return from the arena, Ip Man joins the next batch of fighters in order to find out what happened to him. Another Kung Fu master, Liu, wins a duel but asks to fight three more Japanese soldiers in order to win extra food. Liu loses the duel but tries to claim his original bag of rice, which prompts Colonel Sato to shoot him.

Miura is insulted by this dishonorable act and threatens Sato, who meekly apologizes and quickly arranges the next match. Ip Man is shocked by Liu's death and demands to fight ten Japanese soldiers, much to everyone's amusement. When Ip Man easily defeats the ten black belts, the arena is silent and Miura is impressed by this display of skill. Miura asks Ip Man for his name, to which Ip Man replies, "I'm just a Chinese man."

Miura wishes to duel Ip Man himself and sends Colonel Sato to ask Ip Man to a formal duel. Ip Man refuses, and eventually he is taken by force and imprisoned. Sato asks Miura to reconsider the duel, but Miura is confident in his chances. Miura sets up an arena in the middle of town, where all of Foshan can watch the ultimate clash between Japanese and Chinese martial arts.

When the duel begins, Miura initially holds his own against Ip Man, but he is quickly overpowered and brutally beaten. Incited to revolt, the people of Foshan rise up and fight against the Japanese occupation.