| J Force | |
|---|---|
Lieutenant General John Northcott, commander-in-chief of the BCOF, inspects an honour guard of New Zealand troops in Japan, April 1946 |
|
| Active | 1946–1948 |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Type | Occupation force |
| Size | 4,000 |
| Part of | BCOF |
J Force (sometimes referred to as "Jayforce") was the name given to the New Zealand forces that were allocated to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) which occupied Japan following the end of the Second World War. The force was deployed between 1946 and 1948, after which it was disbanded and its personnel repatriated to New Zealand.
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In 1942, Japan entered the Second World War by attacking Pearl Harbor. In 1945, US forces dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, and eventually encouraged the Japanese Emperor to surrender, ending the combat phase of the Second World War. Allied Forces, including New Zealanders,[1] Australians, Canadians, and Indians, entered Japan as an occupying force in February 1946 to restore the peace, clean up debris from the atomic blast, help rebuild and direct Japan into a democratic society. Part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF), the New Zealand force became known as J Force.[2]
Consisting of two infantry battalions—the 27th and 22nd Battalions—as well as the 2nd Divisional Cavalry Regiment, the 25th Field Battery, and the 5th Engineer Company along with supporting elements which included signals, transport, workshops and medical units, the force of just over 4,000 men was built around the 9th Infantry Brigade Group. Some of the New Zealand troops were sent to Japan direct from Italy where they had taken part in the fighting against the Germans, although others were dispatched from New Zealand having been drawn from other units. The force's first commanding officer was Brigadier K. L. Stewart, although he was later replaced by Brigadier W. G. Gentry.[3] The Royal New Zealand Air Force also contributed a squadron of Corsair fighter aircraft, which were flown by No. 14 Squadron RNZAF, and remained in Japan until November 1948.[2]
The last New Zealand J Force troops returned home in September 1948.[4] In total approximately 12,000 New Zealanders served in Japan during the occupation, while 15 members were killed in accidents or died of illness.[5] Some New Zealand personnel would later return to Japan on R&R during the Korean War (1950–1953).[6] In 1995 the New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949 was instituted to recognise the service of J Force veterans in Japan.[5]