Japanese occupation of New Guinea

The Japanese occupation of New Guinea was the military occupation of the northern portion of the island of New Guinea by the Empire of Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941, Japanese forces invaded the Australian-administered Territory of New Guinea and Dutch New Guinea in early 1942, capturing the respective territorial capitals of Rabaul in February 1942 and Hollandia in April 1942. The subsequent New Guinea campaign saw Japanese forces advance into the Australian territory of Papua in the south-east of New Guinea, but the intended capture of Port Moresby as part of Operation Mo was unsuccessful. The Japanese positions in New Guinea were reclaimed by Allied forces by the end of the war.