Figure 1.--Here the children of repatriated families scoot around the deck of the Japanese frighter 'Koan Maru' as their parents prepare to disembark at Maizuru Bay, Japan (March 24, 1953). They are first group of repatriates to be returned from Communist China where they had been stranded since the end of World War II. Theur oarents are completing the formalities through the processing center at Maizuru so they can be released to go home. The first batch of 2,000 men, women, and children came from North China on the 'Koan Maru'. The bicycles were gifts from charitable organizations and placed on the ship when it left China.

Most of the civilians repatriated came from Formosa, Korea, and Manchuria, but smaller numbers came from other places as well, such as Saipan. The largest numbers came from the settler in Manchuria. Much of the transport for Japanese stranded in Saipan was was provided by the U.S. Navy. There were substantial numbers of Japanese civilians in both North Korea and Manchuria. As far as we know, the Soviets and the Chinese did not restrict the repasrtristion of Japanese civilians, alhough there were breakdowns in diplomatic relations. They did not, mhowever provide needed transport. We have little information on the conditions of the repatritions. The Japanese civilians who got to Amerucan occupoied South Korea were repatriated fairly quickly. We do not know about those who found themnselves in Soviet occupied North Korea. The settlers stranded in Manchuria had a very difficult time with large numbers perishing in the immediate chaos of the War after the Soviet invasion. Eventually group reparations were orgnaized although it took more than a decade to get the settlers home. This was still complicated by the changing political circumstances. After the Soviet era, control was turned over to the Chinese Communists (1949). Shortly after the Korean War broke out (June 1950). Japan was not officially involved, but American forces operated from Japanese bases and used Japanese ports. All of this complicated reparations.