J Force was the name given to the New Zealand forces that were allocated to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force

British Commonwealth Occupation Force

The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...

 (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.

History

In 1942, Japan entered the Second World War by attacking Pearl Harbour. 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, 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

British Commonwealth Occupation Force

The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...

 (BCOF), the New Zealand force became known as J Force.

Consisting of two infantry battalions—the 27th and 22nd Battalions

22nd Battalion (New Zealand)

The 22nd Battalion, also known as the "Wellington Battalion", was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Military Forces, which served during the Second World War. Formed in November 1939, it was part of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. After undertaking...

—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. The Royal New Zealand Air Force

Royal New Zealand Air Force

The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...

 also contributed a squadron of Corsair fighter aircraft, which were flown by No. 14 Squadron RNZAF

No. 14 Squadron RNZAF

14 Squadron RNZAF was a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.- New Zealand fighters before 1941 :Until World War II, New Zealand's air force concentrated on training, transport and maritime attack. The vast distance of the Pacific Ocean seemed a defence against attack by air...

, and remained in Japan until November 1948.

The last New Zealand J Force troops returned home in September 1948. In total approximately 12,000 New Zealanders served in Japan during the occupation, while 15 members were killed in accidents or died of illness. Some New Zealand personnel would later return to Japan on R&R during the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

 (1950–1953). In 1995 the New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949 was instituted to recognise the service of J Force veterans in Japan.