Osaka Guard District
History
History
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The  were considered second tier naval bases, similar to the first tier , with docking, fueling and resupply facilities, but typically lacked a shipyard or training school. They tended to be established by strategic waterways or major port cities for defensive purposes. In concept, the Guard District was similar to the [United States Navy](/wiki/United_States_Navy "United States Navy") [Sea Frontiers](/wiki/Sea_Frontier "Sea Frontier") concept. the Guard District maintained a small [garrison](/wiki/Garrison "Garrison") force of ships and [Naval Land Forces](/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navy_Land_Forces "Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces") which reported directly to the Guard District commander, and hosted detachments of the [numbered fleets](/wiki/Fleets_of_the_Imperial_Japanese_Navy "Fleets of the Imperial Japanese Navy") on a temporary assignment basis.

Osaka, a strategic port city and location of several shipyards was initially ranked as a third echelon naval port or  reporting to the [Kure Naval District](/wiki/Kure_Naval_District "Kure Naval District"). The military base itself was established in 1939, but was little more than a base in name only, and was intended to form an administrative structure as legal representative of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Osaka area.Goldstein, *The Pacific War Papers*. Page 53\. It lacked in any base facilities, not even a repair yard, fueling depot or stores, and it relied on civilian\-owned port facilities to service passing warships. Nonetheless, it was raised to the status of Guard District on March 13, 1940\.


What is the purpose of a Guard District in the Imperial Japanese Navy?