1946 Jayforce lands in Japan

After Japan’s surrender in August 1945 the New Zealand government agreed to participate in the occupation as part of a Commonwealth force. Under the command of Brigadier Keith Stewart, 4000 New Zealand troops (known as Jayforce) arrived in March 1946 as part of the 40,000-strong British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). They were to work alongside the United States military forces, which had occupied most of Japan. 

The Commonwealth troops had two key tasks: demilitarisation and demobilisation. Jayforce was initially deployed in Yamaguchi prefecture on the southern tip of Honshu, and on nearby Eta Jima Island. This was a relatively poor rural area with a population of 1.4 million – not much less than New Zealand’s total population at the time.

The New Zealanders’ first task was searching for military equipment. Little was found as Yamaguchi had not had a major military presence during the war. Jayforce also assisted with the repatriation of Japanese coming home and Koreans being returned to their country.

Many members of the New Zealand force were conscripts, and unsatisfactory conditions in Japan added to a sense of resentment. Boredom was a major problem, but as non-fraternisation rules were progressively relaxed high rates of venereal disease became a problem.

When Great Britain and India withdrew from BCOF in 1947 enthusiasm for New Zealand’s ongoing involvement waned. An April 1948 decision to withdraw from Japan was implemented by early 1949.

Around 12,000 New Zealanders served in Jayforce, of whom 15 were killed in accidents or died of disease. They are buried in the Commonwealth cemetery at Yokohama.

Image: New Zealanders of Jayforce in a bicycle taxi (Timeframes)