How Modern Japan Is Described in Textbooks around the World

(Select a Country to review excerpts)

Europe ……………  Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, UK
Asia ………………   China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Vietnam
North America ……  Mexico, USA
South America ……  Brazil

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ASIA

Singapore
Title: Social Studies
Pages: 81, 103-107
Publisher: Ministry of Education, Singapore, 2002


Excerpt:

The Bushido

1. Have you ever heard about the Samurais? They were Japanese warriors, well-known for their bravery, loyalty and skill in fighting.
2. The Samurais had an unwritten set of rules about loyalty and courage. This set of rules was called the Bushido, which meant, “the Way of the Warrior.” The Samurais were prepared to obey their master fully – even if it meant losing their own lives.
3. They went through tough training like walking in the snow without any shoes. If defeated in a battle, they preferred to die rather than be taken prisoner.

The Japanese Occupation
When the Japanese took over Singapore, they told the people that they had come to set them free from British rule. However, for three and a half years, life became a nightmare instead.

Law and order came under the Kempeitai, the Japanese Military Police. The Kempeitai had spies who informed them of people who were against them. People who were reported to the Kempeitai as their enemies were questioned. Many of them died as they were cruelly tortured.

The Chinese suffered most. Japan had been fighting a war against China. Many Chinese in Singapore had sent money to help China. So, the Japanese wanted to punish those Chinese who were anti-Japanese.

They ordered all Chinese men between 18 and 50 years of age to report at certain centres. At these places, the men were questioned. The Japanese, however, had no proper way of finding out who were against them. Those who the Japanese thought were against them were taken away in lorries. Thousands of Chinese were taken in this way to Changi Beach or other beaches where they were shot.

How did the Japanese treat the other people in Singapore? They told the Indians in Singapore that Japan would help India to get rid of its British rulers. They also wanted all Indians to join the Indian National Army to fight the British in India. The Indian soldiers who were loyal to the British refused. They were either imprisoned or killed.

The Eurasians, too, suffered under the Japanese. Many were put in prison camps. Those who the Japanese thought had helped the British were shot. Some were later sent to Malaya to grow food as there was a food shortage in Singapore.

The Malays also did not escape ill-treatment. Those Malays who the Japanese thought had acted against them were punished or even killed.

The Japanese controlled the lives of the people. Both adults and school children had to learn the Japanese language. Only Japanese movies were allowed to be shown in the cinemas. At school, the Japanese national anthem was sung every morning. On the Japanese Emperor’s birthday, school children had to take part in the celebrations at the Padang. These children held small Japanese flags which they waved as they sang Japanese songs.

The Anti-Japanese Movement
The people of Singapore and Malaya hated their Japanese masters because of the hardships and sufferings they had to bear. Not all the people of Singapore were willing to be ruled and ill-treated by the Japanese. The Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army (M.P.A.J.A.) was one such group.

The Work of the M.P.A.J.A.
In the beginning, this group was not very effective because of the lack of food, medicine, weapons and money. In fact, they had very few weapons. They became more effective later on when they joined hands with Force 136 (a group that was set up by the British) to attack the Japanese.