Tonarigumi

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The Tonarigumi (隣組; Neighborhood Associations) were localised political and surveillance bodies in Japan. They were set up in 1940, during the premiership of Fumimaro Konoye (近衛 文麿). A network of informants was established in every building, on every street and on every block, linking with the Tokkō Police service. Basically they consisted of low-ranking Kōdōha (皇道派) party members, and other loyalist and patriotic citizens, in the metropolitan areas, suburbs and provincial towns.

Japan organized similar groups in its exterior provinces of Manchukuo, Mengjiang, and the Wang Jingwei Government, and later in occupied territories of Southeast Asian during wartime, with the same purposes.

Their mission was to watch for possible infractions of national laws, and supposed political enemies. Later in the Pacific War they served as observers, of enemy planes over cities, suspicious boats on the coasts, or for any traitors acting with the enemy. In the final stages of war they supported national defense as a secondary militia, in the case of enemy land invasion in metropolitan areas.

It is possible that some groups from these organizations took part in combat in Chōsen and Karafuto province, in the closing days of the Pacific War.