Japan's Arrival and Occupation of Indonesia

The Arrival of Japan in Indonesia

• Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941, which was the largest US naval base in the Pacific
• After attacking Pearl Harbor, Japan advanced quickly to the south, including Indonesia
• Japan first arrived in Indonesia and landed in Tarakan, East Kalimantan on January 11, 1942
• Japan successfully controlled Balikpapan by January 24, 1942
• Japan successfully controlled Pontianak by January 29, 1942
• Japan successfully controlled Samarinda by February 3, 1942
• Japan successfully controlled Banjarmasin by February 10, 1942
• Japan occupied Ambon on February 4, 1942
• Japan controlled Palembang and surrounding areas on February 16, 1942
• After controlling areas outside Java, Japan focused its attacks toward Java
• Japan landed in three places at once on February 28, 1942
• The landing spots were in Teluk Banten, Eretan Wetan (West Java) and Kragen (Central Java)
• The Dutch army could not withstand the quick attacks
• On March 8, 1942, Governor General A.W.L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer and high ranking military officials met with Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura in Kalijati, Subang, and West Java
• The Netherlands surrendered to Japan unconditionally
• Lieutenant General Ter Poorten represented the Netherlands and Lieutenant General Immamura represented Japan when authority over Indonesia was handed over

The Japanese Occupation

• Indonesia was under Japanese control
• After formally accepting the surrender of Dutch authority, the Japanese administration divided Indonesia into three military governance areas
• Region I (Army : Gunseibu) included Java & Madura and Batavia became the center, giving authority to to the 16th army under Hitoshi Imamura
• Region II (Army: Rikugun) included regions in Sumatra with Bukittinggi becoming the center, giving authority to the 25th army under General Tanabe
• Region III (Navy: Kaigun) included Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara and Irian, centered on Makassar, and it was under the authority of the 2nd Southern Fleet under Admiral Maeda
• Early on, the Japanese military government behaved favorably toward the Indonesian people, posing as Indonesia's older brother
• This attitude ultimately underwent a change, even though what the Japanese government established appeared to support Indonesian independence
• In actuality, the Japanese were acting in this manner to advance their own governing agenda, since they were at war

Propaganda

• Known as the 3A movement:
  • Japan, Protector of Asia
  • Japan, Leader of Asia
  • Japan, Light of Asia
• Collaborations:
  • Putera (People's Power Center)
    • Aimed to persuade secular, intellectual and nationalist groups to devote their energy and thoughts to serving Japan
  • Jawa Hokokai (Java Devotion Association)
    • A central organization made up of individuals from various fields (doctors, educators, central women's devotion, and corporations)

Social Impact

• The Japanese occupation was brief, about 3.5 years, but left dark marks on Indonesian society
• Society suffered greatly, oppression was prevalent
• All societal activities focused on meeting Japan's war needs
• Conditions were deplorable for Indonesians during the Japanese era:
  • People became romusha (forced laborers), leading to widespread famine and disease
  • Implementation of Kinrohosi (large scale delivery of food to Japan's military led to rice and food confiscation, causing famine
  • Implementation of Jugun lanfu (employment of young women as sex workers for comfort of Japanese military as many were lied to and forced to become prostitutes in closed camps

Economic Impact

• During the Japanese occupation, the war economy system was implemented, as Japan saw the importance of controlling raw materials across Indonesia
• Economic activities focused on the war effort, using all possible natural resources and raw materials to support war machinery industries
• Seizures: Japan seized all estates, factories, banks and essential businesses
• Neglect: a lot of farms fell into disrepair because the policy's emphasis was on the industry and war economy
• Decreased production: these circumstances led to declining food production, famine, and extreme poverty
• Japan enforced stringent economic control with harsh penalties
• Supervision applied to usage and distribution of remaining commodities
• To stop price increases, prices were regulated
• Monopolies: The control of tea, coffee, rubber, and sugar cane plantations as well as their sales
• Restrictions existed for tea, coffee, and tobacco because they had no direct connection to the demands of battle
• Forced cultivation and monopolies: Sugarcane and sugar, forced planting of castor beans and cotton, and on agricultural and plantation land
• Limitations on other crops: limitations on productivity of crops not advantageous for war, Indonesian people were forced to cultivate, rice, castor beans, and cotton, with high exchange value to fulfill war needs
• Konsekuensi: People duties and riches were used for war purposes, which was distressing to people physically and materially
• Conditions declined in 1944, thus needs for wartime supplies surged
• The Japanese campaign through the Jawa Hokokai & Nagyo Kumiai implemented the handover of food and goods
• The people were burdened with having to turn over 30% of their food to the government, 30% to village granaries and 40% belonged to the owner
• Lack of food, malnutrition and diseases spread throughout Java
• Indonesian resorted to eating yams, snails, bananas, papaya trunks etc to fight hunger
• Regulations imposed by Japan made it difficult to meet basic nutritional needs
• Heavy burden on people also caused concern about use of clothing
• People wore torn clothes, while others used sacks that caused itchy rashes and used rubber sheets as clothing

Military Sector

• Under the Japanese rule, the Indonesian people gained from engaging in military training including, military science, defense and security
• The military training:
  • Basic military drills
  • Exercises using weapons
  • Military organizations
  • War Drills
• Japan persuaded people to confront the Allies through propaganda
• Japan released policy focused on the military sector by establishing military units, to help Japan face Allies in the Asia war: heiho and PETA
• Heiho:
  • Formed on April 1945 to assist soldiers and members aged 18-25 years with basic education
  • Provided Indonesian children as units to assist the army and was part of the Japanese military
  • Military unit
• Peta:
  • Originally created in the 16th army territory in Java and Madura, officially formed on October 3, 1943, as a defender
  • Yanagawa was in charge of training, and Peta was known as Giyugun in Sumatra
  • The formation of Peta was the request of the Indonesian people to Japan by R. Gatot Mangkoepradja
  • Had duties to maintain Indonesian land, key figures were Soeprijadi, Jenderal Soedirman, and Jenderal Gatot Soebroto
• In addition to creating PETA, Japan created Suishintai, Seinendan, Keibodan, Fujinkai, Hizbullah, Seinentai, and Gakutotai, as semi military organizations
• Suishintai:
  • Or the pioneer troop formed on November 1, 1944 and dedicated on September 25, 1944, led by Ir.Soekarno, R.Pandji Soeroso, Otto Iskandardinata, and Dr. Boentaran Martoadmodjo
  • Barisan Pelopor was its name following independence
• Keibodan:
  • Or the Auxiliary Police Force, established on April 29, 1943
  • Formed to assist police tasks, such as maintaining traffic and village security for those aged between 26-35
  • Known as bogodan in Sumatra and Borneo Konan Hokokudan in Kalimantan
• Seinendan:
  • Or the youth troop, formed on March 9, 1943, organized to secure separate regions for youth aged 26–35
• Fujinkai:
  • Or the women, troop formed in August 1943, with members aged 15 and over
  • Their goal was to aid Japan in the battle against the Allied forces
• Seinentai and Gakutotai:
  • Seinentai were formed for elementary SD school children
  • Gakutotai formed for secondary school children
  • Gakutotai had members who are the youngest amongst other semi-military orgs
• Hizbullah:
  • Formed on December 15, 1944
  • Voluntary or reserve force consisting of Islamic youth groups led by K.H. Zainal Arifin and his deputy Mohammad Roem