Keibōdan

The was an organization formed in 1939 immediately prior to World War II as ordered by the (announced January 25 and implemented April 1) in order to protect the people from air raids and fires.警防団令
'Keibōdan'' Order(in Japanese) 24 January 1939 They were tasked with acting as a support organization for the police and fire brigade.大日本警防 he Defense of Great Japan(in Japanese), April 1940

There was less reason to maintain the ''Keibōdan'' after Japan lost the war, resulting in it being abolished and combined into the fire brigade in 1947.

Overview

Prior to the establishment of the ''Keibōdan'', a fire fighting force known as existed, predating the current , which had the responsibility of controlling flooding and fires. In accordance with the ''Keibōdan'' Order, the ''Keibōdan'' was established and given those existing duties of fire and flood defense, in addition to the other duties of monitoring the skies for air raids, initiating warnings, enacting blackouts,防空法中改正法律
odification to the Air Defense Law(in Japanese) Art. 1, 26 November 1941 policing, managing traffic, acting as first responders in the event of a major incident, defending against the use of poison gas, operating shelters, and more.

Outside Japan

A ''Keibōdan'' branch was also established in the occupied Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) during World War II on 29 April 1943. Indonesian names for the organization were ''Barisan Pembantu Polisi'' ("Auxiliary police") and '' Laskar Penjaga Keamanan rakyat'' ("People's defense force"). It was formed alongside the '' Seinendan'', and led by the occupation authorities (). The purpose of the ''Keibōdan'' was to assist the Japanese-controlled police for the duration of the occupation. In addition, the organization ostensibly provided paramilitary training to Indonesian youths to defend their homeland from imperialism. In reality, the Japanese intended the ''Keibōdan'' to be a reserve of troops during its war against the Allies. In Sumatra the organization was known as ''Bōgodan'' (防護団, "Defense corps"), while in Kalimantan it was better known as ''Sameo Konen Hokokudan''. Among Chinese Indonesians formed a variation of ''Keibōdan'' with the name ''Kakyō Keibōtai'' (華僑警防隊; "Overseas Chinese defense corps"). In charge of the ''Keibōdan'' were the ''Keimubu'' ("Police subdepartment"), who in turn reported to the ''Gunseibu'' ("Military administration"). The ''Keibōdan'' groups consisted of youths aged 20 to 35 years and numbered approximately one million members. Serving as an auxiliary police force, it was authorized to regulate traffic and maintain order and security in the villages.

See also

* Collaboration with Imperial Japan
* Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
* '' Seinendan''

References

{{Authority control

Indonesian collaborators with Imperial Japan
Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
Military units and formations of Imperial Japan