The Australian Role in the BCOF

 The primary  objective of BCOF was to enforce the terms
of the unconditional surrender that had ended the war the previous
September. The task of exercising military government over Japan was the
responsibility of the United States forces. BCOF was required to maintain
military control and  to supervise the demilitarisation and disposal of
the remnants of  Japan's war making capacity. To this end, Australian army
and air force personnel were involved in the location and securing of
military stores and installations. The Intelligence Sections of the
Australian battalions were given targets to investigate by BCOF
Headquarters, in the form of grid references for dumps of Japanese
military equipment. Warlike materials were destroyed and other equipment
was kept for use by  BCOF or returned to the Japanese. The destruction or
conversion to civilian use of military equipment was carried out by
Japanese civilians under Australian supervision. Regular patrols and road
reconnaissances  were initiated and carried out in the Australian area of responsibility as part of BCOF's general surveillance duties.
The RAN component of BCOF was responsible for patrolling the Inland Sea to prevent both smuggling and the illegal
immigration of Koreans to Japan. In this task they were assisted by the RAAF whose aircraft were also involved in tracking vessels suspected of
smuggling or transporting illegal immigrants. RAAF squadrons also flew surveillance patrols over each of the prefectures in the BCOF zone in
order to help locate left over weapons and ordnance. By the end of 1946 the task of demilitarising Japan was requiring less effort and the nature of  BCOF's duties was changing. From then guard duties and training began to occupy more of the occupying forces time.   (courtesy Digger History)                       

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LIsten to the story of the BCOF    ( courtesy ABC NAtional)