JAPANESE LANDINGS IN AUSTRALIA
DURING WORLD WAR 2

There have been many stories about Japanese landings on Australian soil during WW2. The majority of these stories are unsubstantiated and more than likely not true. Of the following stories on this page, there are only two that are substantiated by official documents.

The first one involves a Japanese Army Reconnaissance party landing on the Western Australian coast near Cartier and Browse Islands. While on Australian soil the Japanese even took some 8 mm movie footage of what they saw. As it turned out they had landed only 25 kms from where the RAAF were several weeks later to start building their secret airfield at Truscott.

The other incident has become known as the "Kentish Affair". While it was not a case of Japanese landing on Australian soil, it is about a Japanese floatplane landing in Australian waters off the Northern Territory coast and taking an Australian clergyman as a prisoner.

Did the Japanese ever plan to invade Australia? There have been no substantiated approved Japanese plans to invade Australia unearthed at this stage, though there was at least one Japanese invasion plan proposed which was knocked back by Japanese Prime Minister, General Tojo. 

Were Japanese Supplies placed in a Cave
near Yanchep, WA

30 Japanese Marines land about
100kms north of Broome in 1942

Did 3 Japanese Commando parachutists land near
Calcium 50kms west of Townsville during WWII?

Suspected Japanese Supply Dump at Cape Melville
Investigated by 31st Battalion on 24/25 April 1942

Japanese Army Reconnaissance party landed
in Western Australia near Cartier and Browse Islands in January 1944

"The Kentish Affair"
An Australian taken prisoner by the Japanese
in Australian waters off the Northern Territory
on 22 January 1943.

Proposed Japanese Plan
to Invade Australia during WW2
(never approved by Emperor Hirohito)

Was there a Japanese Invasion
planned to occur between Brisbane and Townsville?
Ken Sato claimed he would be the Civil Administrator in Australia after the Invasion

Japanese Submarine RO-33 lands a party
on Murray Island, north Queensland

Crew of Japanese submarines land near Cape Upstart, Qld?

Sky sign found and rumbling noises from
Doubtful Bay and Munja areas of Western Australia

Was there a Japanese landing
at Rutland Plains Station?

Was there a Japanese airfield
near Blue Mud Bay in Arnhem Land, NT?

Japanese oil drums found in Blue Mud Bay

Were there as many as 5 Japanese bush airfields
in Australia during WW2?

Did the Japanese land on south east shore
of the Gulf of Carpentaria in April 1943?

Did the Japanese land on Mornington Island
and nearby Rocky Island in January 1944?

Was a Japanese landing party
ambushed in The Kimberley?

Did the Japanese land at Jurien Bay, WA?

Did the Japanese land at Yarrabah Aboriginal Mission
about 15 kms from Cairns on an unknown date?

Was there a Japanese landing party at Rough Range near
Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia?

Did 20 - 30 Japanese land
on North Keppel Island, QLD?

Did 100 Japanese land north of Farnborough
 just north of Yeppoon, QLD during WW2?

Was there a Japanese landing in Broadsound area,
central Queensland and then Styx River during WW2?

Did Japanese Marines land at Cromarty, Qld, during WW2?

Japanese Radio Transmissions and Sightings
of Flares in Iron Range area, far north Queensland

Japanese Occupation Money

Report of Japanese Rations and Small Party
of Japanese in Redhead Beach area, NSW

Crew of German U-Boat U-862 land
at Coorong in South Australia

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 2 November 2000

This page last updated 12 September 2021