The New Zealand occupation of Japan began in February 1946 and continued until November 1948 involving approximately 12,000 men and women. New Zealand personnel were part of a larger British Commonwealth Occupation Force with a total of 40,000 personnel from the United Kingdom, Australia and India. The surrender of Germany in May 1945 saw the war in Europe come to an end. Shortly after this there were plans for an final assault on Japan to which New Zealand had agreed to send 16,000 land forces, as well as about 8320 all ranks as an air component. However before this occurred the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1946 and Nagasaki on 9 August. The Japanese accepted the Potsdam Declaration of 26 July, 1945 on 10 August, unconditionally surrendered on 14 August and the formal surrender was signed on 2 September 1945. The need therefore for an occupational force arose. New Zealand's contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupational Force (BCOF) was officially known as the 2 NZEF Japan, or the J Force during the stages of organisation. While the American forces occupied the majority of Japan, the J Force were mostly based in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the far south western tip of the island of Honshu. All the allied forces in Japan came under the control of General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander Allied Powers. The first draft was formed in Italy and sent to Japan from Naples after training in Florence. This draft was formed from the 2 NZEF troops remaining in the Mediterranean theatre after the war in Europe ended. Those who were not married and those who were the last to arrive as reinforcements from New Zealand made up the majority of this draft. J Force's army brigade was originally formed by conscripts bought together in Northern Italy mostly from the 9 Infantry Brigade (22 and 27 infantry battalions and the Divisional Cavalry Regiment) as well as single men from the 13th to 15th Reinforcements. Officers were conscripted from the 10th to 12th Reinforcements. Other officers from earlier Reinforcements were asked to volunteer. Specialist, Maori and nursing components were all volunteers from the 14th and 15th Reinforcements and other earlier Reinforcements. The Royal New Zealand Air Force formed squadron No 14 from New Zealand volunteers. The draft from Italy was later relieved by a draft of volunteers raised in New Zealand in early to mid 1946, who were in turn also relieved by a second draft of volunteers from New Zealand in mid 1947. Some of the Relief draft arrived at Kure naval base in Japan on 1 August 1947, on board the Dunera. On 21 April 1948 Cabinet approved the decision to withdraw from Japan and from mid 1948 the New Zealand camps were closed or taken over by other allied occupation forces. For further information see:. The Pacific by O.A. Gillespie, The Jay Force Experience by H Stone, and Jay Force New Zealand and the Military Occupation of Japan 1945-1948 by L. Brocklebank. AWMM