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Murakami became increasingly concerned with the tragic loss of life amongst the divers. The diving dress was
heavy, restricted movement and depended on air being pumped from the lugger. There had been few improvements
made to it since its adaptation by Augustus Siebe in 1863. When Murakami’s brother-in-law Asari drowned in a
diving accident, Murakami set about trying to improve the dress. His only previous experience as an inventor was
with surgical instruments that he improvised for the Broome doctors. He took out three patents on his improved
diving suit which included air tanks, thus lessening the likelihood of drowning through the air pipe being fouled
or severed.
Murakami and Gregory became involved with experiments in cultured pearl farming, an unpopular venture
with the pearlers, who saw cultured pearls as a serious threat to their industry. Murakami visited the Mikimoto
pearl farms in Japan where he was invited by Mikimoto to stay and study the industry. However, Murakami
declined the offer because he was anxious to return to his family and businesses in Australia.
In 1934 or 1935, Murakami with his family settled in Darwin. Captain Gregory already had become established
there and both men anticipated a secure and profitable future. The town was only a few hours sail from the Aru and
Taninbar islands which were considered suitable areas for cultured pearl production, there were plans to base the
pearling fleet in Darwin where fuel could be purchased from the navy tanks for less than half the price of fuel in
Broome, there were to be facilities for packing pearl shell and Darwin had a safe harbour for the luggers to ‘lay
up’ during the cyclone season.
Murakami opened a photographic shop, which was very successful due to the large number of troops in the area
who wanted photographs taken to send home. He gave Japanese language tuition to some of the troops and indeed
some worked for him occasionally.
Murakami assisted visiting scientists by photographing their specimens and assisted the local police during a
murder investigation through photographing forensic evidence.
The younger Murakami children attended St Mary’s Convent School and their mother become involved in
church and school affairs. Murakami had brought his Sunbeam motorcar with him, so there was transport to
picnics and other entertainment.
Although there was some resentment against the local Japanese because of Japan’s war with China, to this day
old residents speak well of the Japanese residents of Darwin who were there until 1941.
Murakami became a member of the Darwin Japanese Club. He had been a committee member of the Broome
Japanese Club for 17 years and had been presented with a valuable gold cup for his community service. Because
of the close liaison between the two clubs he was able to renew old friendships and to make the acquaintance of
some of the European community such as Xavier Herbert, who also frequented the club. Through his association
with the club, he again became counsellor and mediator to some of the lugger crews. Crews of the luggers who
were sick, injured or who had completed their indentures were sometimes helped financially to return to Japan.
The divers, probably because of their dangerous work, were not always noted for their frugality or sobriety and
it was through the efforts of Murakami and the other Japanese residents of Darwin that riots similar to those in
Broome did not occur in Darwin.
As the threat of war increased the older Japanese who had spent almost all their lives in northern Australia
became increasingly concerned for the future. Although Japan was their fatherland Australia was their home. Some
had Australian wives, children and grandchildren. Resentment against them increased but the Japanese believed
they would receive fair treatment if there was war with Japan.
Two of these Japanese were Iwumatsu John Nakashiba and Jiro Muramatsu. Nakashiba had lived Darwin for
over 40 years and was a ‘free man with the Commonwealth’. He was the Darwin agent for Japanese vessels using
the port, arranging necessary customs documentation and acting as an interpreter. He had played a leading role
during the negotiations to base the pearling fleet at Darwin and it was through his efforts that Japanese who died
at sea could be buried in Darwin. It is against Japanese custom to be buried at sea, thus until Nakashiba’s efforts,
Japanese dead had to be taken to Java. Nakashiba had a European wife and an adopted European son.
Jiro Muramatsu was another well-respected member of the Darwin community. He arrived at Cossack with
his parents in 1890. His father Sakutaro became a successful businessman. Jiro completed his education at Xavier
College, Melbourne, and became a naturalised Australian. In 1901, certain Australian states disenfranchised
‘aboriginal natives of Australia, Asia, Africa and the Islands of the Pacific’. Muramatsu was deeply hurt and
appealed against the loss of his citizenship to the High Court without success. With the decline of Cossack, he
moved to Darwin and continued to operate a successful business. During the Depression, these men convinced
many people who were planning to try their luck in America to stay in Darwin where there was a sure future for
them when good times returned.
By 1940 military intelligence staff were preparing dossiers on the Japanese and their families, albeit with some
difficulty, because according to local intelligence there was nothing of any consequence to report. Plans were made
for their arrest in the event of war with Japan. When Pearl Harbour was bombed the plan worked quickly and
efficiently. Guards were stationed outside the Japanese homes and the children were removed from their school
under armed guard. It was understood by the Japanese that this was done to protect them. They were removed to
Adelaide River for almost two weeks, a long truck journey for those who were old, sick or pregnant and for the
babies and young children. On their return to Darwin, they found their homes looted; in one instance even a child’s
tricycle had been stolen.
The Japanese with their families were taken to HMAT Zealandia and sailed south along with Darwin evacuees
on 20 December 1941. Zealandia was later sunk during the first Japanese raid on Darwin in February 1942.