Military Governorate of Shonan-Marai: Difference between revisions

The Malay Peninsula was formerly British holdings, with the Unfederated, Federated Malay States and the Straits Settlements administered by British colonial authorities until the war came.

Prior to the attack on Pearl Habour, the subsequent pro-Japanese coup in Thailand and the annexation of French Indochina from the Vichy French government gave the Japanese had free rein to take over the Pacific. The Japanese, would march into Malaya from the Thai Border with additional naval landings at Kota Tinggi, in conjuction with the attack on the Philippines and North Borneo.

Forced to fall back repeatedly, the British and Commonwealth Forces in Malaya would attempt counterattacks, however they would recieve defeat after defeat until the final surrender in [[Singapore]], which saw the Malay Peninsula now under Japanese Occupation.

The 25th Army would march into Singapore triumphant, turning the Malay Peninsula into a colony that would supply the Japanese economy with natural rubber, tin and other resources that laid within the Peninsula.

=== Running the Peninsula. ===

The Japanese policy for the administration of Malaya was developed in February 1941 by Colonel Obata Nobuyoshi (Section Chief of Intelligence – Southern Army), and Lt Colonels Otoji Nishimura and Seijiro Tofuku of the General Staff.

Five principles would be set out: acquisition of vital materials for national defence, restoration of law and order, self-sufficiency for the troops in the occupied territories, respect for established local organisations and customs, and no hasty discussion of future status of sovereignty. Administrative-wise, the Straits Settlements were to be placed directly under the Japanese Army, the Federated Malay States and Johor will remain as autonomous protectorates under their sultans, while the four northern states (Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu) were to eventually revert to Thai rule.

Additionally, to bolster these efforts to turn Malaya into a Japanese colony, the Japanese sought to change the common language of Malaya to Japanese. Its initial moves were to change shop signs and street names. Penang was renamed Tōjō Island (東條島, ''Tōjō-tō'') and Malaya renamed Malai (馬来, ''Marai''). The time zone was also moved to align with Japan to ensure this change.

Overall control and administration of Malaya was the responsibility of the 25th Army. The transfer of the northern Malay states to Thailand moved them to Thai control.

Japanese and Taiwanese civilians headed the Malayan civil service and police during the occupation. The structure remained similar to that of Malaya's pre-war civil service with many for Civil Servants being reappointed. Many of the laws and regulations of the British administration continued in use. The Sultans were initially allowed to continue as nominal rulers, with the intent that they would eventually be completely removed from power.

=== Inciting Collaboration ===

The Japanese would start inciting collaborationism by using slogans such as "Asia untuk orang Asia" (translation: Asia for Asians) to win support from the local Malays. Malay radicals had been given strict instruction to abide by Japanese military plans to create "Asians for Asians" and a "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" with Malaya as an important base. The Japanese worked hard to convince the local population that they were the actual saviours of Malaya while Britain was portrayed as an imperialist force that wished to exploit Malaya's resources. However in reality, the Japanese were keen to exploit the region.

=== The Malayan Emergency ===

Subsequently, the 25th Army was stationed in the Malayan Peninsula, set to garrison the Empire of Japan's newly conquered territory, where they stayed for the next 20 years. It was during these 20 years that the 25th Army slowly grew lax in it's garrisoning duties, as well as having manpower chipped away by the guerilla war, resulting in their ranks mostly bolstered by Malayan collaborators.