Following the end of the war No. 81 Wing was selected to form the main body of the RAAF's contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in Japan. During August and September 1945 personnel who had not volunteered for this duty left No. 76 Squadron and it was re-equipped with P-51 Mustang fighters. The wing's ground party left Labuan by sea on 11 February 1946 and No. 76 Squadron became the first BCOF squadron to arrive in Japan on 9 March when it landed at Iwakuni. The squadron moved to No. 81 Wing's permanent base at Bofu two days later. During the occupation of Japan No. 81 Wing flew uneventful surveillance patrols over BCOF's sector of the country. In February 1948 No. 76 Squadron moved to Iwakuni where it was disbanded on 29 October 1948 as part of a reduction in the RAAF strength in Japan.