Ryojun Guard District

Type   101 Navy Base
Historical Name of Location   Lushunkou, Liaoning, China
Coordinates   38.812500000, 121.241667000

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe port of Lushunkou (English: Port Arthur; Russian: Port-Artur; Japanese: Ryojun) was located in the southern tip of Liaodong Peninsula in Liaoning Province, China. Prior to the late 1800s, it was but a quiet fishing village, but its strategic position guarding the Bohai Sea soon led to its fortification using Krupp-made guns. The military port as well as the surrounding residential areas were captured by the Japanese on 21 Nov 1894 during the First Sino-Japanese War, and widespread massacre of Chinese military personnel and civilians took place. Although the Japanese was forced out of Lushunkou by the western powers, particularly Russia which viewed northeastern China as its own sphere of influence, the victorious Japanese at the end of the Russo-Japanese War gained ownership of the port per the Treaty of Portsmouth. The military port of Ryojun was immediately given the status of a Naval District and it received great amounts of funding in development. In 1914, it was downgraded to the status of a Military Port, and in 1922 it was decommissioned from service. In Apr 1933, it was reactivated again, now serving as the principle commercial and military port of Japan and the puppet state Manchukuo. In 1937, Ryojun divided into two cities, Ryojun in the south and Dairen (Chinese: Dalian; Russian: Dalny) in the north. In 1941, it was upgarded to Guard District status in anticipation of the Pacific War; on the eve of the Japanese attack on the United States, Ryojun Guard District was the home to Minesweeper Division 32 and the cargo ship Shanan Maru No. 16. In 1942, the Ryojun Naval District was decommissioned from service as Japan had full control of the seas in the region without the need of maintaining this base.

Last Major Update: Apr 2014



Ryojun Guard District Interactive Map

Photographs

Soviet naval infantrymen flying the navy ensign at Port Arthur (Ryojun or Lushunkou), Liaoning, China, 1 Oct 1945

Ryojun Guard District Timeline

7 Jan 1905 Vice Admiral Chikataka Tamari was named the chief of staff of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
6 Feb 1905 Admiral Baron Yahachi Shibayama was named the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
2 Feb 1906 Admiral Baron Sotaro Misu succeeded Admiral Baron Yahachi Shibayama as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
22 Nov 1906 Vice Admiral Baron Masaaki Hashimoto succeeded Admiral Baron Sotaro Misu as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Rear Admiral Tomokazu Takigawa was named Hashimoto's chief of staff.
28 Aug 1908 Vice Admiral Baron Sadayasu Tomioka succeeded Vice Admiral Baron Masaaki Hashimoto as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Vice Admiral Yasutaro Egashira was named Tomioka's chief of staff.
1 Dec 1909 Rear Admiral Genzaburo Ogi replaced Vice Admiral Yasutaro Egashira as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Baron Sadayasu Tomioka (Ryojun Naval District, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1910 Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada succeeded Vice Admiral Baron Sadayasu Tomioka as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Vice Admiral Tadamichi Kamaya was named Yamada's chief of staff.
1 Dec 1911 Rear Admiral Sukeshiro Hanabusa replaced Vice Admiral Tadamichi Kamaya as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada (Ryojun Naval District, northeastern China).
6 Dec 1911 Rear Admiral Yoshimoto Shoji replaced Rear Admiral Sukeshiro Hanabusa as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada (Ryojun Naval District, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1912 Vice Admiral Hajime Sakamoto succeeded Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Rear Admiral Sadaichi Hiraoka was named Sakamoto's chief of staff.
14 Mar 1914 The Japanese-controlled Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China was downgraded to a third echelon military port.
1 Apr 1914 Vice Admiral Reijiro Kawashima succeeded Vice Admiral Hajime Sakamoto as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
8 May 1914 Rear Admiral Masaki Nakamura was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Reijiro Kawashima (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
13 Dec 1915 Vice Admiral Takeshi Takarabe succeeded Vice Admiral Reijiro Kawashima as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
11 May 1916 Rear Admiral Kanshiro Haji was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Takeshi Takarabe (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1916 Admiral Teijiro Kuroi succeeded Vice Admiral Takeshi Takarabe as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
12 Feb 1918 Rear Admiral Kametaro Muta was named the chief of staff of Admiral Teijiro Kuroi (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1918 Vice Admiral Tatsuo Matsumura succeeded Admiral Teijiro Kuroi as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
1 Oct 1920 Vice Admiral Naoe Nakano succeeded Vice Admiral Tatsuo Matsumura as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
20 Nov 1920 Rear Admiral Kenkichi Wada was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Naoe Nakano (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1921 Vice Admiral Kesataro Kawahara succeeded Vice Admiral Naoe Nakano as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
1 Apr 1922 Vice Admiral Kiyohiro Ijichi was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Kesataro Kawahara (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
4 Jul 1922 Tenryu arrived at Lushunkou, northeastern China.
1 Dec 1922 The Japanese-controlled Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China was decommissioned from service.
10 Dec 1922 Vice Admiral Kesataro Kawahara stepped down as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
20 Apr 1933 Vice Admiral Shizue Tsuda was named the commanding officer of the newly recommissioned Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Rear Admiral Hisoharu Kubota was named Tsuda's chief of staff.
1 Jul 1933 Vice Admiral Yurikazu Edahara succeeded Vice Admiral Shizue Tsuda as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
15 Nov 1934 Vice Admiral Kichijiro Hamada succeeded Vice Admiral Yurikazu Edahara as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
15 Nov 1935 Admiral Hideho Wada succeeded Vice Admiral Kichijiro Hamada as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Vice Admiral Chuichi Hara was named Wada's chief of staff.
1 Dec 1936 Vice Admiral Masaichi Maeda succeeded Admiral Hideho Wada as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
1 Dec 1937 Vice Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Masaichi Maeda (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
8 Jan 1938 Japanese seaplane tender Kinugasa Maru departed Ryojun (Lushunkou), northeastern China with troops aboard.
15 Nov 1938 Vice Admiral Ichiro Sato succeeded Vice Admiral Masaichi Maeda as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
15 Nov 1939 Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya succeeded Vice Admiral Ichiro Sato as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Rear Admiral Isamu Takeda was named Hosogaya's chief of staff.
1 Nov 1940 Rear Admiral Keizo Tanimoto replaced Rear Admiral Isamu Takeda as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
15 Nov 1940 Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu succeeded Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
5 Jul 1941 Vice Admiral Hidehiko Ukita succeeded Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
20 Nov 1941 The Japanese-controlled Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China was upgraded to the status of a Guard District.
5 Jan 1942 Vice Admiral Hidehiko Ukita stepped down as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Guard District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
15 Jan 1942 The Japanese-controlled Ryojun Guard District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China was decommissioned from service.




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Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Lushunkou, Liaoning, China
Lat/Long 38.8125, 121.2417
Ryojun Guard District Photo Gallery
Soviet naval infantrymen flying the navy ensign at Port Arthur (Ryojun or Lushunkou), Liaoning, China, 1 Oct 1945


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