The Chinkai Guard District (鎮海警備府, Chinkai Keibifu) was the major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in Korea under Japanese rule before and during World War II. Located in southern Korea (at present-day Jinhae, Republic of Korea, 35°11′N 128°34′E / 35.19°N 128.57°E / 35.19; 128.57), the Chinkai Guard District was responsible for control of the strategic Straits of Shimonoseki and for patrols along the Korean coastline and in the Sea of Japan.

History

The Guard Districts (警備府, Keibifu) were second tier naval bases, similar to the first tier Naval Districts (鎮守府), 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.^[1] 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 Naval Land Forces which reported directly to the Guard District commander, and hosted detachments of the numbered fleets on a temporary assignment basis.

The port of Chinkai in Korea was an area with long associations with Japan, having been the location of a Japanese trading settlement in the 15th and 16th centuries. More recently, it was the location where Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō assembled his Combined Fleet while waiting for the arrival of the Russian Baltic Fleet prior to the Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Japanese War.^[2]

After the annexation of Korea by the Empire of Japan in 1905, the Imperial Japanese Navy built extensive port facilities, transforming the small town into a major naval port. The port was upgraded to a Guard District on April 1, 1916; however, after the Russo-Japanese War it lost most of its strategic importance and was regarded as somewhat of a backwater assignment.^[3] On the surrender of Japan, Chinkai was occupied by Destroyer Squadron 64 from the United States Navy led by the USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748).^[4] It was repaired and continued to be used as a naval base during the Korean War. After the independence of Korea in 1945, the naval base was turned over to the Republic of Korea Navy, and remains a major naval base to this date.

A subsidiary naval base reporting to the Chinkai Guard District existed at Rashin (present day Rason, North Korea), 42°20′02″N 130°23′56″E / 42.334°N 130.399°E / 42.334; 130.399 (Rason, NK), on the east coast of Korea near the border with the Soviet Union.

Order of battle at time of the attack on Pearl Harbor

• Chinkai Guard District (Admiral Ikuta Sakamoto)
  • Japanese destroyer Minekaze
  • AP Ryotaku Maru
• Chinkai Air Group
  • 6 × Kawanishi E7K Alf
• Chinkai Guard Force
  • Destroyer Division 32 (Admiral Owada)
    • Japanese destroyer Asagao
    • Japanese destroyer Fuyo
    • Japanese destroyer Karukaya
  • Minesweeper Division 48
  • Minesweeper Division 49
  • Rashin Base Force (Admiral Sukigara)

List of Commanders

References

• Prados, John (1995). Combined Fleet Decoded: The Secret History of American Intelligence and the Japanese Navy in World War II. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-460-02474-4.
• Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
• Goldstein, Donald M (2004). The Pacific War Papers. Brassey. ISBN 1-57488-632-0.

External links

• Wendel, Marcus. "Axis History Database".
• Budge, Kent G. "Pacific War Online Database".