ASIA POW CAMP GROUP HISTORY

CHRONOLOGICAL CHART OF
PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS IN ASIA


Source: Record of Management of Prisoners of War, Japan Prisoner of War Bureau. Red type = Data from The Japanese Army and POW Policies: White and Asian POWs by Aiko Utsumi, 2005. See also POW Camps outside Japan Proper.

Korea
Taiwan
Mukden
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Thailand
Malaya
Philippines
Borneo
Java
Other

Korea POW Camp Group

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Keijo (Seoul)
Korean Army, Army Warehouse
9/25 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
1-B Jinsen (Inchon)
Port Maintenance / Monopoly Bureau
9/25 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
1-D Konan
Nippon Chisso, Konan Plant
--- 9/13 Established --- 8/15 Terminated

Taiwan POW Camp Group

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Taipei
(Road work outside of Taiwan Shrine; railroad work)
7/17 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
1-B Kinkaseki
(Copper Mine)
7/17 Established --- --- 5/16 Moved to Hsintien (Kukutsu?)
2-B Taichu
(River dike work)
7/17 Established --- --- 4/15 Terminated
3-B Heito
(Sweet potato fields, sugar factory)
7/17 Established --- --- 3/15 Terminated
4-B Karenko
(Officers only)
7/17 Established 6/7 Moved to Shirakawa --- 8/15 Terminated
5-B Tamazato
(Officers only)
--- 4/2 Established
6/15 Moved to ?-peng?
--- 1/22 Terminated
6-B Taihoku --- 8/ Established --- ---
TOROKU TEMP. CAMP Toroku --- --- 11/6 Established 3/5 Terminated
INRIN TEMP. CAMP Inrin --- --- 11/6 Established 1/16 Terminated

Mukden (Hoten) POW Camp Group

CAMP DESIGNATION COMPANY / LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Mukden
Manchuria Machinery, Takai Iron Works
11/11 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
1-D Mukden
Manchuria Leather Factory
--- --- 5/2 Established 8/15 Terminated
2-D Mukden
Manchuria Canvas Factory
--- --- 6/24 Established 8/15 Terminated
3-D Mukden
Nakayama Iron Works, Toyo Lumber
--- --- 8/15 Established 8/15 Terminated
1-B Teikaton (Cheng Shiatun Cheng Chia Tun?) --- --- 10/14 Established 5/21 Terminated
2-B Sian --- --- 12/1 Established 8/15 Terminated

Shanghai POW Camp Group

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
Shanghai Shanghai 1/24 Established --- --- ---
Fengtai Fengtai --- --- --- 5/9 Jurisdictional control transferred

Hong Kong POW Camp Group

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP --- 1/7 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
SHAM SHUI PO
(WHITE PRISONER CAMP)
Kyuryu, Sham Shui Po 1/7 Established
8/14 Renamed 1-B
--- 6/6 Renamed White Prisoner Camp 8/15 Terminated
NORTH ISOLATED ARMY
(INDIAN PRISONER CAMP)
MA TAU CHUNG? 1/7 Established
8/14 Renamed 2-B
--- 6/6 Renamed Indian Prisoner Camp 8/15 Terminated
MILITARY HOSPITAL
(WHITE PRISONER HOSPITAL)
Bowen Road, Hong Kong 1/7 Established
8/14 Renamed 1st Branch Hospital
--- 6/6 White Prisoner Camp Hospital 8/15 Terminated
3-B HOSPITAL --- 1/7 Established
8/14 Renamed 2-B Detached Camp
--- 6/6 Indian Prisoner Camp Hospital 8/15 Terminated
3-B North Point, Hong Kong 1/7 Established Hong Kong Island White Prisoner Camp
8/14 Renamed 3-B
9/26 Terminated
--- --- ---
4-B --- 1/7 Established South Isolated Army Indian Prisoner Camp
8/14 Renamed 4-B
9/26 Renamed 3-B
7/1 Jurisdictional control transferred to MAIN CAMP 5/24 Terminated ---
TRAINING CAMP (INDIAN) Kyuryu, Cox Road 1/7 Established
8/14 Established as 5-B
9/26 Terminated
--- --- ---
ST. ALBERT'S CONVENT Rosemarie Hill, Hong Kong 1/7 Established
2/26 Terminated
--- --- ---
ST. TERESA'S HOSPITAL
(SHAM SHUI PO)
--- 1/7 Established
8/12 Terminated
--- --- ---
STANLEY
(CIVILIAN)
--- 1/7 Established
3/7 Terminated
--- --- ---
KOWLOON HOSPITAL
--- --- --- --- ---
ARGYLE STREET
--- 4/ Established? 12/? Officers transferred to Sham Shui Po
--- ---
MA TAU-WAI
(CIVILIAN CHINESE)
--- --- --- --- ---
TWEED BAY HOSPITAL
(STANLEY CAMP)
--- --- --- --- ---

Thailand POW Camp Group

[Strengths as of 10/30/1942 = ~2,500; Korean guards = 800]
Totals in red as of June 1943 (total strength = 48,296)
; Km distances from start of Thai-Burma Railway

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP
Bangkok
8/15 Established (Banpon) 5/17 Moved to Kanchanaburi
11/ Moved to Tamuron 3/ Moved to Bangkok
8/15 Terminated
1-B
1-Det. Nong Pladuk 0km
2-Det. Kinsalyok 160km
3-Det. Wang Po 110km
(p. 432)
Ubon
(Kanchanaburi 50km)
3,180
--- 1/21 Established as 6-B Kinsalyok
3/ Moved to Hindat, renamed 1-B
1,651
2,412
1,302
2/15 Moved to Ubon 8/15 Terminated
2-B
MAIN Takanun 200km
1-Det. 203km
2-Det. 211km
Chungkai
8,795
8/16 Established 3/ Moved to Tamarkan
2,580
1,109
5,106
3/ Moved to Chungkai
8/ Moved to Tamarkan
1/ Moved to Chungkai
8/15 Terminated
3-B
1-Det. Anganan 108km from Thanbyuzayat
2-Det. Payathanas 105km from Thanbyuzayat
Thanbyuzayat
9,368
8/16 Established 9/ Moved to Mezari
3,302
6,066
1/ Moved to Anganan
4/ Moved to Tamarkan
8/ Terminated
4-B
MAIN Wang Yai 120km
2-Det. Tonchan 130km
3-Det. Kinsalyok 160km
4-Det. Hintok 153km
Wanyai
12,609
10/ Established 3,308
3,011
2,339
1,087
5/ Moved to Tamuron 8/ Terminated
5-B
1-Det. 100km
Thanbyuzayat 11/ 1,916 from Java
1,916
1/25 Established as Thanbyuzayat
4/ Moved to Aparon
10/ Moved to Kyando
12/ Merged with 3-B; Terminated
--- ---
6-B
MAIN Hindat 188km

1-Det. Kuiye 174km
2-Det. Prankari 190km
3-Det. Bangan 198km
---
7,063
--- 1/21 Established as 6-B Kinsalyok
3/ Moved to Hindat, renamed 1-B
3,778
1,551
864
936
--- ---
7-B Kanchanaburi --- --- 3/28 Established as 3-B DETACHED CAMP
9/1 Renamed 7-B
8/15 Terminated
8-B Saigon 9/21 Established as 1-B DETACHED CAMP --- 9/1 Renamed 8-B 8/15 Terminated
9-B Phetchaburi --- --- 2/2 Established 8/15 Terminated
10-B Riengan --- --- 2/9 Established at Rontan (Lin Thin?) (French Indian)
5/ Moved to Riengan (French Indian)
8/15 Terminated
MAIN CAMP, GENERAL DISPATCHED CAMP Nong Pladuk
[Saigon]
8/16 Established as 1-B 5/17 Moved to Kachanaburi
1,651
11/25 Re-organized
3/28 Jurisdictional control transferred to 3-B & 4-B DETACHED CAMPS ---
1-B DETACHED CAMP Saigon 9/21 Established (French Indian) --- 9/1 Renamed 8-B ---
2-B DETACHED CAMP Hanoi
[Kinsalyok]
9/21 Established
11/13 Terminated
---
2,412
--- ---
3-B DETACHED CAMP Lampang --- ---
1,302
3/ Established as Penang
7/ Jurisdictional control transferred to Lampang
8/15 Terminated
4-B DETACHED CAMP Nong Pladuk --- --- 3/28 Established
9/1 Merged with 1-B; Terminated
---
5-B DETACHED CAMP Aparon --- --- 5/ Established
9/1 Merged with 1-B; Terminated
---
6-B DETACHED CAMP Aparon --- --- 5/ Established
9/1 Terminated
Merged with 1-B
5-B DETACHED CAMP Nagorn Nayok (Prachinburi)?
--- --- --- 3/18 Established
8/15 Terminated
6-B DETACHED CAMP Bangkok
--- --- 6/ Established
8/15 Terminated
KANCHANABURI HOSPITAL Kanchanaburi 12/ Established 3/ Terminated --- ---
NAKHON PHATOM HOSPITAL Nakhon Phatom --- --- 12/ Established 8/15 Terminated
INDIAN SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP Bangkok --- 1/ Established 10/ Terminated ---
盤谷 INDIAN SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP Bangkok --- 3/1 Established --- 8/15 Terminated
THA MUANG SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP Tha Muang --- 3/1 Established --- 8/15 Terminated
HANOI SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP  Hanoi (French Indian) --- 3/1 Established --- 8/15 Terminated
HANOI SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP Hanoi (French Indian) --- 3/1 Established 1/ Terminated ---
SAIGON SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP Saigon (French Indian) --- 6/ Established --- 8/15 Terminated
TSURAN SPECIAL LABOR FORCE CAMP  Tsuran (French Indian) --- 6/ Established --- 8/15 Terminated

Malaya POW Camp Group

[Strengths as of 10/30/1942 = ~2,500; Korean guards = 804]

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Changi (Singapore) 8/15 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
1-B DETACHED CAMP Changi
[Selarang?
Roberts Barracks?]
11/1 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
2-B DETACHED CAMP Port Dickson
[Selarang?]
--- 1/ Established as MAIN CAMP DETACHMENT
10/25 Renamed 5-B DETACHED CAMP
9/1 Renamed 2-B DETACHED CAMP 8/15 Terminated
4-B DETACHED CAMP Adam Park (Singapore) --- --- --- ---
5-B DETACHED CAMP Port Dickson --- 1/ Established as MAIN CAMP DETACHMENT
10/25 Renamed 5-B DETACHED CAMP
9/1 Renamed 2-B DETACHED CAMP ---
1-B
(WHITE PRISONER CAMP)
Pakanbaru (Sumatra) 8/15 Established as 1-B Medang 6/ Moved to Pakanbaru --- 8/15 Terminated
2-B
(WHITE PRISONER CAMP)
Paramban (Sumatra) 8/15 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
3-B
(INDIAN PRISONER CAMP)
River Valley Road (Singapore) 12/1 Established 4/16 Merged with 2-B DETACHED CAMP --- 8/15 Terminated
4-B Nikhe, Indochina --- 4/5 Established at Thamurangbaht
7/ Moved to Nikhe
7,000 (F Force; Burma Railway)
12/30 Terminated
--- ---
5-B Kanchanaburi, Indochina --- 5/ Established as Kinsalyok
9/ Moved to Kanchanaburi
3,000 (Thai Railway, 100~175km)
12/23 Terminated
--- ---
4-B Rangoon (Burma) --- --- 3/15 Established 6-B
7/1 Renamed 4-B
4/29 Liberated?
1-B DETACHED CAMP Kuala Lumpur 8/15 Established
10/15 Terminated
--- --- ---
2-B DETACHED CAMP Arkaf Island (Singapore) 8/15 Established as WHITE PRISONER CAMP
12/ Became INDIAN PRISONER CAMP
4/16 Merged with 3-B --- ---
3-B DETACHED CAMP Singapore - River Valley Road 8/15 Established as WHITE PRISONER CAMP
12/ Became INDIAN PRISONER CAMP
4/16 Terminated --- ---
SINGAPORE PATIENT CAMP Singapore --- --- 4/ Established 8/15 Terminated
INTERNATIONAL UNIT DISPATCH Singapore 9/ Established as WHITE PRISONER CAMP --- --- 8/15 Terminated
INTERNATIONAL UNIT DISPATCH Singapore 12/ Established as INDIAN PRISONER CAMP --- --- 8/15 Terminated
MALAYA UNIT DISPATCH --- --- 1/ Established as INDIAN PRISONER CAMP --- 8/15 Terminated
SUMATRA UNIT DISPATCH --- --- 1/ Established as INDIAN PRISONER CAMP --- 8/15 Terminated
INDOCHINA UNIT DISPATCH --- --- 6/ Established as WHITE PRISONER CAMP --- 3/ Terminated
INDOCHINA UNIT DISPATCH --- --- 9/ Established as INDIAN PRISONER CAMP --- 8/15 Terminated
BURMA UNIT DISPATCH --- --- --- 7/ Established
10/ Terminated
---
SINGAPORE DETACHMENT --- --- --- --- 4/ Established as WHITE PRISONER CAMP
8/15 Terminated
SINGAPORE DETACHMENT --- --- --- --- 4/ Established as INDIAN PRISONER CAMP
8/15 Terminated

Philippines POW Camp Group

[Strengths as of 10/30/1942 = 12,000; Taiwanese guards]

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Manila 8/1 Established --- --- 2/3 Liberated
1-B Cabanatuan 6/1 Established
9/ Terminated (3-B became 1-B)
Used later as rehabilitation training camp for Filipino POWs
--- --- 1/30 Liberated
2-B
[WHITE PRISONER CAMP]
Davao 10/15 Established --- 8/20 Terminated ---
3-BCabanatuan6/1 Established (former Filipino Army Training Center)
9/ Designated as 1-B
---------
BILIBID HOSPITAL Bilibid 8/4 Established --- --- 2/3 Liberated
92nd GARAGE AREACorregidor5/8 POWs temporarily interned
5/24 Transferred to Bilibid
---------
O'DONNELL Manila 4/10 Established
6/6 Most POWs evacuated to Cabanatuan

8/1 Established for Filipino prisoners
1/25 Terminated --- ---
FILIPINO CAMP --- --- 1/25 Established 8/ Terminated ---
1-B DETACHED CAMP Tarlac 5/1 High-ranking POWs transferred here from O'Donnell
8/1 Established?
8/11 Terminated (POWs transferred to Taiwan)
--- --- ---
11-D
MANILA PORT TERMINAL
Manila10/25 POWs transferred here from Customs House Building ---7/17 Terminated---

Borneo POW Camp Group

[Strengths as of 10/30/1942 = 3,700; Taiwanese guards]

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Miri - Kuching 8/15 Established --- --- Unknown
1-B DETACHED CAMP Kuching (Batu Lintang?) 8/15 Established --- --- Unknown
2-B DETACHED CAMP Lanau
[Seria]
--- --- --- 2/ Established
Unknown
1-D Brunei --- --- 6/9 Established Labuan 2-B DETACHED CAMP 2/ Re-organized as 1-D, moved to Brunei
1-B Sandakan 8/15 Established --- --- Unknown
2-B DETACHED CAMP Seria 8/15 Established 1/1 Terminated --- ---
3-B DETACHED CAMP Poak 11/ Established --- 8/ Terminated ---
4-B DETACHED CAMP Jesselton
10/13 Established 4/18 Terminated --- ---
LUTON INDIAN LABOR CAMP Luton --- 1/1 Established --- Unknown
SERIA INDIAN LABOR CAMP Seria --- 1/1 Established --- Unknown

Java POW Camp Group

[Strengths as of 10/30/1942 = 35,400 (12/1942 = 38,394; 12/1943 = 14,199; 12/1944 = 7,854; 8/15/1945 4,334); Korean guards = 1,400]

CAMP DESIGNATION LOCATION 1942 1943 1944 1945
MAIN CAMP Batavia 8/15 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
MAIN CAMP, GENERAL DISPATCHED CAMP
1-Det.Tanjun Priok
2-Det. Batavia

3-Det. Batavia
4-Det. Batavia
5-Det. Batavia
Batavia 8/15 Established --- --- 8/15 Terminated
HOSPITAL CAMP Batavia --- --- --- ---
1-B
1-Det. Bandoeng
2-Det. Timaji
3-Det. Timaji
4-Det. Timaji
Patient Camp Bandoeng
Bandoeng 8/15 Established
11/ 4,500 transferred to Thailand
--- --- 8/15 Terminated
2-B Tjilitjap 8/15 Established 2/15 Terminated
4,800 transferred to Thailand
--- ---
3-B
1-Det. Soerabaja [Surabaya]
2-Det. Soerabaja
3-Det. Soerabaja
4-Det. Soerabaja
5-Det. Soerabaja
Patient Camp Soerabaja
Soerabaja 8/15 Established
11/ 1,000 transferred to Burma
1/ 2,400 transferred to Thailand
4/ 6,600 transferred to Ambon

4/27 Terminated
Re-organized as 3-B Dispatched Camp
--- ---
4-B
1-Det. Marang
2-Det. Marang
3-Det. Marang
4-Det. Marang
Marang 8/15 Established 2/15 Terminated
5,000 transferred to Thailand
--- ---
3-D
1-Det. Amahai - Ambon
2-Det. Flores
3-Det. Hark
4-Det. Ambon - Liang
Ambon - Amahai --- 4/27 Established
6,600 POWs from 3-B sent to Amahai, Hark, Flores, Liang Detached Camps
11/Terminated ---
2-D Sumatra --- --- 5/17 Established
6/23 Terminated
---


Southern District Camps under Japan Navy Jurisdiction
(2nd Southern Detachment)

Makassar Provisional Camp Celebes West Coast
Balikpapan Provisional Camp Borneo
PANBIRUMASHIN [Bandjermasin?] Provisional Camp Borneo
Samarinda Provisional Camp Borneo
2nd Garrison Borneo


Non-Military Detainees

DIVISION LOCATION NUMBER OF
PERSONNEL
PRINICIPAL
NATIONALITY
Ministry of Home Affairs Police Headquarters 36 American, British, others
.
Totsuka, Kanagawa Pref. 19 Australian, others
Yamakita, Kanagawa Pref. 47 British, Canadian, others
Gumma 163 American, British, others
Nagasaki 41 British, Canadian, others
Saitama 56 Canadian, British, others
Fukushima 140 British, Greek, others
Hokkaido 24 American
Miyazaki 35
British, American
Hiroshima 44 British
Aichi 35 Dutch, Italian
--- --- ---
Korea 5 ---
--- --- ---
Ministry of Greater East Asia Shanghai 5,911 ---
.
灘縣 1,526 ---
楊州 650 ---
廣東 44 ---
Peking 479 ---


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