 Northcott headed the BCOF from December 1945 until June 1946 . As such , he negotiated the Northcott @-@ MacArthur agreement with General of the Army Douglas MacArthur , which governed the terms and conditions under which the BCOF would occupy part of Japan . The BCOF would serve under American command , with American policy being followed . Northcott was offered , and accepted , the post of Governor of New South Wales in April 1946 . He remained in Japan until June though , because Prime Minister Ben Chifley wanted the changeover to coincide with his own visit to Japan in May , and because he needed to obtain consent of the other governments concerned for the appointment of Lieutenant General Horace Robertson as Northcott 's successor . Northcott 's lack of experience in command once again showed , and his command was again overhauled by Robertson . 
