Osaka Guard District


The Osaka Guard District was a major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in central Japan during World War II. Located at Osaka ), Osaka Guard District was responsible for guarding the approach to the old capital of Kyoto, the Kansai industrial zone, port of Kobe and the Inland Sea of Japan.

History

The Guard Districts were considered second tier naval bases, similar to the first tier Naval Districts, with docking, fueling and resupply facilities, but typically lacked a shipyard or training school. They tended to be established by strategic waterways or major port cities for defensive purposes. In concept, the Guard District was similar to the United States Navy Sea Frontiers concept. the Guard District maintained a small garrison force of ships and Imperial [Japanese Navy Land Forces|Naval Land Forces] which reported directly to the Guard District commander, and hosted detachments of the numbered fleets on a temporary assignment basis.
Osaka, a strategic port city and location of several shipyards was initially ranked as a third echelon naval port or yokobu reporting to the Kure Naval District. The military base itself was established in 1939, but was little more than a base in name only, and was intended to form an administrative structure as legal representative of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Osaka area. It lacked in any base facilities, not even a repair yard, fueling depot or stores, and it relied on civilian-owned port facilities to service passing warships. Nonetheless, it was raised to the status of Guard District on March 13, 1940.

Order of Battle at time of the attack on Pearl Harbor

List of commanders

Commanding Officer

  • Vice-Admiral Masashi Kobayashi
  • Vice-Admiral Kakusaburo Makita
  • Vice-Admiral Ichiro Ono
  • Vice-Admiral Arata Oka

Chief of Staff

  • Rear-Admiral Shinichi Torigoe
  • Rear-Admiral Bunjiro Yamaguchi
  • Rear-Admiral Akira Maysuzaki