Archaeology and Anthropology of World War II Japanese Aircraft in Australia: the Case Study of Hajime Toyoshima's Zero
Dublin Core
Title
Archaeology and Anthropology of World War II Japanese Aircraft in Australia: the Case Study of Hajime Toyoshima's Zero
Description
During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and Army (IJA) carried out a series of air raids on
northern Australia. The Bombing of Darwin by the IJN on 19 February 1942 was the most significant foreign
attack in mainland Australia since the colonisation of Australia by the British Empire. One of the IJN Zero
fighters flown by a petty officer, Hajime Toyoshima, was force-landed on Melville Island, north of Darwin. The
pilot was subsequently captured by an Indigenous man, Matthias Ulungura, and became the first Japanese
prisoner of war on Australian soil. This study examines historical records and remains of Toyoshima’s Zero and
related materials currently displayed in three museums around Darwin to answer the research questions of why
and how the utilisation of the wreckage of Toyoshima’s Zero and related materials have changed over time.
Close examination with 3D photogrammetry recording of the wreckage shows characteristics of the early model
of Mitsubishi M6A2b Type 0 Model 21 carrier fighter and evidence of use of this aircraft wreckage.
Examination of related materials also indicate debatable authenticities. Despite the questionable legitimacies of
these related materials, exhibitions of museums utilize them in their attempted recreations of the past event.
Furthermore, those materials reflect the social value shifts that those items went through. This study focuses on
interactions between Australians, which includes the Indigenous people, and the IJN aircraft.
northern Australia. The Bombing of Darwin by the IJN on 19 February 1942 was the most significant foreign
attack in mainland Australia since the colonisation of Australia by the British Empire. One of the IJN Zero
fighters flown by a petty officer, Hajime Toyoshima, was force-landed on Melville Island, north of Darwin. The
pilot was subsequently captured by an Indigenous man, Matthias Ulungura, and became the first Japanese
prisoner of war on Australian soil. This study examines historical records and remains of Toyoshima’s Zero and
related materials currently displayed in three museums around Darwin to answer the research questions of why
and how the utilisation of the wreckage of Toyoshima’s Zero and related materials have changed over time.
Close examination with 3D photogrammetry recording of the wreckage shows characteristics of the early model
of Mitsubishi M6A2b Type 0 Model 21 carrier fighter and evidence of use of this aircraft wreckage.
Examination of related materials also indicate debatable authenticities. Despite the questionable legitimacies of
these related materials, exhibitions of museums utilize them in their attempted recreations of the past event.
Furthermore, those materials reflect the social value shifts that those items went through. This study focuses on
interactions between Australians, which includes the Indigenous people, and the IJN aircraft.
Creator
Hiroshi Ishii
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Ishii, Hiroshi. 2023. “Archaeology and Anthropology of World War II Japanese Aircraft in Australia: The Case Study of Hajime Toyoshima’s Zero.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Alexis Catsambis. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1898
Files
Citation
Hiroshi Ishii, “Archaeology and Anthropology of World War II Japanese Aircraft in Australia: the Case Study of Hajime Toyoshima's Zero,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed February 10, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1898.