Ōminato Guard District
| Ōminato Guard District | |
|---|---|
| 大湊警備府 | |
| Mutsu, Aomori in Japan | |
Surviving pre-war building of the former Ōminato Guard District
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 Ōminato Guard District
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| Coordinates | 41°13′58″N 141°07′56″E / 41.23278°N 141.13222°E |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | June 1895, 12 |
| In use | September 1953, 16 |
The Ōminato Guard District (大湊警備府 Ōminato Keibifu?) was the major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in northern Honshu before and during World War II. Located in Mutsu Bay, (at the present-day city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, the Ōminato Guard District was responsible for control of the strategic Tsugaru Strait between Honshu and Hokkaidō and for patrols along the Hokkaidō, Karafuto and Kurile Islands coastlines.
In the organizational structure of the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1886, the Japanese Empire was divided into five operational districts, with the Hokkaidō-Ōshu area forming Naval District 5, with its nominal headquarters in Muroran, Hokkaidō. However, the area was given a low priority in funding, and remained largely a paper organization under overall command of the Yokosuka Naval District.
On 12 June 1895, the nominal headquarters of Naval District 5 was transferred from Muroran to the more sheltered port of Ōminato with Mutsu Bay, although facilities and infrastructure were minimal.
After the Russo-Japanese War, when the strategic importance of control of the Tsugaru Straits came into focus, and with Japan's acquisition of Karafuto Prefecture, more investment was made in securing Japan's northern frontiers. Ōminato was one of eleven designated third echelon naval ports, or yokobu (要港部?) located in various locations around Japan. In December 1905 it was made independent of Yokosuka. Although Muroran, Asahikawa and Wakkanai bases reported to Ōminato, it was not raised to full Naval District (鎮守府?) headquarters status, but continued as Ōminato yokobu. A wireless station was completed in 1913.
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