Announcement

This content will contain names, images or recordings of people that have since passed. While engaging with this content, you may encounter racist terms and attitudes reflective of the period in which the event occurred, and may be considered inappropriate today.
Close announcement

Wartime Internment of Japanese Australians

During the Second World War, many people of Japanese ancestry who lived in Australia were imprisoned in internment camps.

In 1941, Australia was officially at war with Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor, USA.

In Australia, government officials decided to intern 'enemy aliens' – people connected to countries who were at war with Australia. This included people of Japanese, German and Italian ancestry. 

Internment camps were set up in Australia during the Second World War to:

  • identify and intern people who were believed to threaten the safety of Australia
  • calm public concerns about ‘enemy aliens’ living in Australia
  • hold internees who were sent to Australia by its overseas allies. 

At the peak of the war, Australia held more than 12,000 people in internment camps.

Over the course of the war, internees included:

  • 7,000 Australian residents, including the Australian-born descendants of migrants from enemy nations
  • 8,000 people sent to Australia from overseas allies. 

The national archival collection holds records that shed light on the stories of civilians who were interned, including many Japanese Australians.

Curriculum areas

Records

Record

Department of the Army Minute Paper on the Subject of internment of Japanese.

Japanese internment policy

A record about the decision to intern Japanese Australians during the Second World War.

Record

A grandstand behind a tall barbed wire fence.

Photograph of the Internment Camp at Orange in New South Wales

The Orange Showground grandstand inside the internment camp.

Record

A plan drawing of Orange internment camp showing the arrangement of buildings.

Map of the Internment Camp at Orange in New South Wales

The internment camp at Orange was a repurposed facility with a military style layout.

Record

National security (aliens control) regulations in the matter of an objection by Hideicheiro Ide.

Excerpt from Transcript of Trial Reviewing Hideichiro Ide's Objection to Internment

Hideichiro ‘Henry’ Ide was a naturalised British subject and prominent silk merchant, importing quality Japanese silk into Australia.

Record

Approval for the release from internment of Taro Hasegawa.

Approval for release from internment for Setsutaro Hasegawa

73 year old Japanese Australian Setsutaro Hasegawa was allowed to return to his residence under strict restrictions.

Record

Mario Takasuka's internment identification portrait.

Photo of Mario Takasuka who served in the Second World War

Mario was born in Australia in 1910, the son of Jō and Ichiko Takasuka who migrated to Australia from Japan in 1905.

Resources

Resource

Rough plan drawing of Cowra group buildings and camp.

Wartime internment camps in Australia

Resource

Japanese War Cemetary in Cowra.

Cowra breakout, 1944

Resource

Commonwealth of Australia National Security (Alien Control) Registration Form of Application

Second World War internee, alien and POW records held in Sydney

Acknowledgments

National Archives would like to acknowledge the work of Nikkei Australia, a group of volunteers involved in documenting histories and stories about the Japanese diaspora in Australia. We would especially like to recognise Nikkei Australia’s Sophie Constable, who has worked in close collaboration with the Ide family and the Hasegawa family to gain their permission to share their stories further.

Need help with your research?

Learn how to interpret primary sources, use our collection and more.

Get help