Impact of Japanese control on civilians

Introduction to Japanese control

• Civilians subject to violence + living without basic necessities for survival

  • Made worse as Singapore population doubled when Malays fled south to escape invading JAP

• Serious shortages of food + essential consumer goods

  • → Widespread malnutrition, black markets and ethnic tensions

• JAP used shortages to ensure locals kept under control

What did Japanese change in Malaya and Singapore?

• Before 1909, parts of N Malaya belonged to Thailand

  • JAP transferred areas back to Thailand in Oct 1943 - deeply resented by Malayans

• JAP occupiers changed common language to Japanese

  • Singapore → Syonan-to

  • Street names + shop signs changed but locals found language hard to learn

• JAP custom of bowing enforced so locals show respect for occupiers

• Promoted message they were ‘saviours’ of Malaya + Singapore

Economy in Japan-occupied Malaya + Singapore

Economy collapsed under JAP:

• Before war, Malaya had healthy tin + rubber export trade as part of BR Empire

  • Under Japanese, it disappeared

• Plantations, mining industries, intl trade vital to economy before war - collapse of these sectors affected many locals

  • → Increased unemployment

• Singapore used by JAP as ‘naval key to Far East’

  • Island close to Indonesia oilfields: port’s facilities could store + ship oil

  • Also a key comms centre

• JAP didn’t need tin + rubber from Malaya + Singapore, already had enough

• Two raw materials they did take were bauxite + iron ore

Food supplies in Japan-occupied Malaya + Singapore

Ability of Japanese to control local population was through food supply:

• Rationing from early

• JAP campaigns to promote food production in Malaya prevented famine taking hold, but still serious food shortages + food transport problems from plantations to cities

• Food prices rose + shortages worsened as occupation progressed

  • Hurt local Malays

  • Start of occupation: rice cost $5 per 60kg

    • By end of war: $5000 for 60kg

• Hyperinflation hit people hard

  • JAP tried to solve problem by printing money → made it worse

• Black markets flourished to fill gaps left by shortages

Authority in Japan-occupied Malaya + Singapore

• Kempeitai (JAP military police) kept order

  • Brutal interrogation methods meant few questioned JAP rule

  • One witness said: ‘it was just the law of the sword, they used to chop off heads.’

• Sentries beat people if they felt they didn’t bow properly as they passed by

  • Malays caught listening to overseas radio treated worse

• Both Singapore + Malaya had large numbers of Chinese

  • Targeted by JAP because JAP were still fighting war vs CHN

  • 25,000-50,000 Chinese killed in first weeks of occupation - known as Sook Ching Massacre

• Indian + Malay populations treated less harshly, partly because occupiers needed help to run country