Shortly following WW II, as the U.S. began Occupation of Japan, it moved dependent families of it's servicemen to Japan. In Tokyo various housing compounds were built, large Japanese residences were taken over and all were used to house these families. The former American School in Japan had ceased to operate during the war years. The U.S. Forces took over ASIJ's campus and opened it for use as a high school for dependent children of Allied Forces, civilians and certain qualified foreigners. Located in the Meguro-ku district, it was known as Meguro High School. It served dependents living within the metropolitan Tokyo area. Officially it was the Tokyo American School - Meguro. This name distinguished it from the Tokyo American School - Narimasu, located just northwest of Tokyo in Grant Heights. Narimasu served dependents living in the Grant Heights Housing area, as well as those on several bases in NW suburban Tokyo. Students attending Meguro were drawn largely from the very large housing area known as Washington Heights, located about 5 miles distant. An Army operated school bus fleet picked up students from all over the Tokyo area every day. These olive drab busses became very familiar to most of us.

Meguro opened it's doors in 1946 for grades seven through twelve. Teachers were drawn from the ranks of Occupation Force spouses and through recruitment in the U.S., from civilian schools. Although open to dependents of all Allied Forces both military and civilian, as well as Allied embassy, business and missionary personnel, the school was predominately American in culture and curriculum. Later, throughout the world, these U.S. military schools became known as DOD schools - Dept. of Defense. There were two or three other schools in Tokyo at that time operated for children by Catholic, British and Australian organizations. There were very few non-American students at Meguro. Courses were designed consistent with U.S. college preparatory needs.

Meguro remained in operation until the Peace Treaty was signed in the spring of 1952, when facilities were returned to the ASIJ owners. Meguro students were then divided. Those who were dependents of U.S. miltary and other eligible U.S. government civilian employees transferred to Narimasu. ASIJ began operation in 1952 for all other dependents of parents who were not government employees. In 1963 the old Meguro campus was sold and ASIJ moved. ASIJ continues to operate today in a suburban Tokyo location for grades K-12.

For the six years TAS - Meguro was in operation, perhaps 1,000 students were enrolled at one time or another. Most students attended for only a two year period, consistent with their father's military tour of duty. Some, as I was, were there longer as our father's were civilians serving longer periods. As a result, the population was highly transient. Friendships were formed quickly, and broken apart suddenly. However, many, to this day, remember Meguro as the defining experience of their youth.

This web site is dedicated to those TAS - Meguro classmates.

Joe Pehoushek (Meguro 1948 - 1952)

1947 Yearbook

1948 Yearbook

1949 Yearbook

1950 Yearbook

1951 Yearbook

1952 Yearbook

Links to related web sites

American School In Japan - current

Tokyo American School - Narimasu

Yokohama American School

A History of Our First Century