Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine

1. control over all ships greater than 100 gross tons operated by the Japanese.
2. to provide the Japanese with a repatriation fleet, consisting of the temporary loan of American ships operated by trained Japanese crews.
3. to provide the Japanese a means of repatriating war personnel.

SCAJAP was subject to the Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE). The SCAJAP fleet was designated Task Group 96.3 in the organization of Naval Forces Japan.

Japanese hospital ship Takasago Maru

At the end of the war Japan was acutely short of large passenger ships. Only two had survived hostilities: NKK Line's Hikawa Maru[1] and OSK Line's Takasago Maru.[2] Both had served as hospital ships and SCAJAP requisitioned them as transport ships.[1][2]

On 7 December 1945 a conference was held at Tokyo as a result of which it was recommended that 100 Liberty ships, 100 LSTs and seven hospital ships be made available to SCAJAP for repatriation. The ships were to be converted in Japan to carry repatriates and were crewed by the Japanese.

Of the shipping requested, 106 Liberties and 100 LST's were received, but only 85 of the LST's were retained for repatriation, the other 15 LST's being used to support the economy of Korea. On arrival in Japan, under direction of SCAJAP, these ships were modified to carry passengers, provided with trained Japanese crews, and put in service at a rate of 25 a week. Six of the Liberties were converted into hospital ships of about 1,200 beds each. Since total available passenger capacity of these SCAJAP vessels was approximately 400,000 by the end of March 1946, all United States Seventh Fleet shipping was released from repatriation. Over 50 percent of the total Japanese repatriation fleet, with a capacity of 100,000 spaces supplemented US shipping.[3]

An example of the use of a commissioned US ship, such as USS Pembina being temporarily assigned to SCAJAP, can be found here.

• List of major U.S. Commands of World War II

• DEMOBILIZATION AND DISARMAMENT OF THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES Archived 2008-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
• Report on Mass Repatriation in the Western Pacific April 1947
• History of United States Naval Operations: Korea