Life in Singapore during Japanese Occupation (15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945)

Japanese have done a lot to influence the minds of the people in Singapore so that the people would be loyal to Japan.

 

To remove Western influence the Japanese promoted the Japanese spirit (Nippon Seishin). Every school, government building and Japanese company began with a morning assembly. Those present at such gatherings had to stand facing the direction of Japan and sing the Japanese national anthem (Kimigayo). Taisho or mass drills were made compulsory for students, teachers, staff of companies and government servants. Teachers had to learn Japanese several times a week. The students received their daily Japanese lessons on the schools’ broadcasting service.

A Japanese language lesson in the newspaper Syonan Sinbun

 

 

The Japanese also used other ways to influence the minds of us. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese and we could only listen to local broadcasts. Those caught tuning in to foreign broadcasting stations were severely punished or killed. In the cinemas, only Japanese movies and propaganda films were shown.

 

 We faced severe food shortages during the Japanese Occupation. This was because Singapore’s entrepot trade was disrupted and all available resources were used to support Japan’s war efforts in other parts of Asia.

 

 Rationing was introduced to control the sales of essential items like rice, salt and sugar. Each household was issued with a ‘Peace Living Certificate’ which entitled them to a number of ration cards to purchase essential goods. Once a month, we would line up at the kumiai shop (distribution association) for hours to purchase whatever rations that were available.

A ration card

 

 Many lived in poverty and suffered from malnutrition and diseases. Essential foodstuffs like rice, salt and sugar were sold at high prices in the black market. The situation was made worse by the unlimited supplies of Japanese ‘banana notes’. Whenever the authorities needed more money, they simply printed more notes. The ‘banana notes’ were also printed on inferior quality paper with no serial numbers and could be forget easily. As there were a lot of ‘banana notes’ , the value of the notes dropped, leading to soaring prices. Hence, life become harder.

'Banana notes'

 

 

Citation
Books:
1. Curriculum Planning & Development Division MOE, Singapore. (2012). Singapore From Settlement To Nation Pre-1819 To 1971 (2nd Edition). Singapore. Marshall Cavendish Education.

 

Website:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Singapore\
2. http://library.thinkquest.org/C002071/dailylife.html

3.http://homelandisus.wordpress.com/