Organization of Karafuto Fortress
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The Karafuto Fortress was the defensive unit formed by the Karafuto fortification installations, and the Karafuto detachment of Japanese forces, the 88th Division. The headquarters was in Toyohara, capital of the province, based on the Suzuya plain, in the Southern Karafuto area, not far from the ports of Ootomari and Maoka.
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[edit] Conformation of Fortified district in Karafuto Province
One example of such defensive structure was in Japanese fortifications to the north of Koton (Naramitoshi) Fortress (now Pobedino) part of Shikuka Fortified District (FD). It extended twelve kilometers along the front and was thirty kilometers deep, between the cities of Hanno, Futaro, Horomi, Miyuki and Horonai with central command in Koton. In this area, along the principal railroad that crossed the island from north to south, there were 17 permanent emplacements, 31 artillery and 108 machine gun bunkers, 28 artillery and 18 mortar positions and 150 shelters, these installations was constructed by Obishiro Nayaro in 1939 over ancient fortifications from the Russian-Japanese War period. The Karafuto Japanese 88th Division defended the FD organization. Together with support units it numbered up to 20,000 officers and men. The Japanese had 10,000 Military veterans serving as reservists and civil volunteer defenders. This structure was very similar in the following areas:
- Toyohara Fortified District
- Toyo-Sakae Fortified District
- Ootomari Fortified District
- Rutaka Fortified District
- Honto Fortified District
- Maoka Fortified District
- Tomarioru Fortified District
- Mototomari Fortified District
- Shikuka Fortified District
- Ezotoru Fortified District
- Kita Nayoshi Fortified District
additionally including airbases, Naval bases, some Army or Navy detachments and others, along with civil defence units inland.
[edit] Karafuto Fortification system
Special frontier unit with HQ in Toyohara and detachments and fortified installations in:
[edit] Southern Karafuto Fortress area
[edit] Toyohara Sub-Prefecture
Toyohara Fortified District
- 3 detachments
- 3 fortifications
- 1 airfield
[edit] Ootomari Sub-Prefecture
Toyo-Sakae Fortified District
- 1 detachment
- 4 fortifications
- 1 airfield
Ootomari Fortified District
- 2 detachments
- 5 fortifications
- 1 airfield
- 1 naval base
Rutaka Fortified District
- 2 fortifications
- 1 airfield
[edit] Maoka Sub-Prefecture
Honto Fortified District
- 2 fortifications
- 1 airfield
Maoka Fortified District
- 2 fortifications
- 1 airfield
- 1 Naval Base
Tomarioru Fortified District
- 1 detachment
[edit] Nortern Karafuto Fortress Area
[edit] Shikuka Sub-Prefecture
Mototomari Fortified District
- 5 fortifications
Shikuka Fortified District
- 3 airfields
- 7 fortifications
- 2 detachments
- 3 frontier posts
[edit] Ezotoru Sub-Prefecture
Ezotoru Fortified District
- 7 fortifications
- 1 detachment
- 1 airfield
Kita Nayoshi Fortified District
- 3 fortifications
- 1 frontier post
[edit] Karafuto Detachment
- 88th Division HQ. (Toyohara)(Lt. Gen.Junichiro Mineki)
- 25th Infantry Regiment
- 125th Infantry Regiment
- 306th Infantry Regiment
- 88th Mountain Gun Regiment
- 88th Army Signal Unit
- 88th Transport Regiment
- 88th Railway Guards Unit
- 351th Special Guards Battalion
- 352th Special Guards Battalion
- 353th Special Guards Battalion
- 301st Special Guards Company
- 303rd Special Guards Engineer Unit
- 50th Infantry Battalion (served how Koton Fortress detachment)
[edit] Japanese Navy Detachments in Karafuto
Japanese naval forces, had some bases and infantry naval detachments in Maoka (front at Tartary Strait) and Ootomari (in Aniwa Gulf) ports, the principal ports in Karafuto. Probably had some units in ports in coasts of Taraika Bay, and city of Ezotoru at north of province.
