Uraga's Role in Post-WWII Repatriation

「陸軍桟橋」と「浦賀港引揚記念の碑」海外引揚者が第一歩を踏みしめた港（浦賀） (senseki-kikou.net)

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The number of Japanese nationals (Japanese nationals) who were overseas when the war ended on August 15, 1945, totaled more than 6.6 million, including both military and civilian personnel. After the war, designated ports for repatriates in various parts of Japan accepted repatriates, with Uraga Port, located at the entrance to Tokyo Bay, receiving approximately 560,000 people in particular, second only to Maizuru Port, which received approximately 670,000.

At the end of the war, there were approximately 6.6 million people overseas: 3.08 million in the former Army, 450,000 in the former Navy, and 3 million in the General Corporation.

With the “General Order No. 1 to the Government of Japan” issued by GHQ (General Headquarters of the Allied Powers, General MacArthur) on September 2, 1945, all Japanese in the outer regions were to surrender under the control of their respective military districts, including military personnel, civilian personnel, and civilians.

The Yokosuka Regional Demobilization Bureau of the Repatriation and Relief Agency of the Ministry of Health and Welfare was in charge of demobilization operations in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Chiba, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Shizuoka and Nagano prefectures.

The “Hikawa Maru” and “Soya,” which are still preserved today, are also active as demobilized ships under the jurisdiction of the Yokosuka District Demobilization Bureau.

The “Uraga Repatriation Relief Bureau” was in charge of relief and quarantine operations for repatriates from November 1945 to May 1947. From May 1947, the “Repatriation Relief Agency Yokohama Relief Station” (renamed the Repatriation Relief Agency Relief Bureau Yokohama Relief Station in 1947) was established. The Repatriation Agency was abolished on July 11, 1955, and its operations were taken over by the “Yokohama Quarantine Station.

On March 29, 1946, cholera broke out on board a repatriation ship from Canton, China, and the ship arrived at the port of Uraga on April 5, 1946, with the outbreak spreading. The ship arrived at the port of Uraga on April 5, and was quarantined at sea.

The Uraga Repatriation and Relief Bureau establishes a “Cholera Quarantine Headquarters” and continues quarantine of repatriated vessels coming from China and Vietnam. 20 vessels anchor offshore for quarantine, and the number of quarantined patients reaches 70,000. Although there was a shortage of food and drinking water for patients and others, facilities and sanitary materials were rapidly improved, and by May 4 of the same year, the quarantined people on the anchored vessels were able to come ashore.

The number of contaminated ships in Uraga Port numbered 22, with 483 patients (including 72 deaths), 191 carriers, and 345 pseudo-patients.

The Uraga Quarantine Station of the Uraga Repatriation and Relief Bureau utilized the site of the former Navy Anti-Submarine School.