Japanese Invasion Money - Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei

Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei

The Japanese began their attack on British Malaya the same day as Pearl Harbor. The Japanese entered Malaya overland from the north and the fortified base of Singapore fell on 15 February 1942 and was held with the rest of Malaya by the Japanese until August 1945. Malaysian script is in dollars (Straits or Malayan dollars) and therefore is often, mistakenly, thought to be for the invasion of the United States. In 1942 the Japanese issued paper script currency of 1, 5, 10 and 50 cents and 1, 5 and 10 dollars. The 1, 5 and 10 dollar notes initially had serial numbers; these were later omitted. In 1944, inflation lead to the issuing of a 100 dollar note. In 1945, a replacement note 100 dollar bill was issued as well as a hyper-inflation 1,000 note. The 1942 series of notes, including the 50c and 1, 5, 10, and the 1944/45 100 dollar all contained the text “Promise To Pay The Bearer On Demand”. The 1944 100 dollar replacement note no longer contained this message.

With metals being a needed war-material the Japanese did not issue coinage during their occupations. Occupation currency, including denominations of less than one dollar, was printed on paper. However, the Money Museum of the Bank Negara Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur has on display a pattern coin showing that occupation coinage was considered. The pattern on display is a 20 cent aluminum pattern coin inscribed on the obverse with the name MALAYSIA, and the date 2602, which translated from the Japanese calendar is 1942 A.D. Inscribed on the reverse is a typical Japanese design of a sun ray with sakura flowers, with 20 CENTS at the top.

The name MALAYSIA was used on a pattern coin of 1942, given that the name for this country was not officially changed from 'Malaya' to 'Malaysia' until 16 September 1963. However, that name had been in common use since the 19th Century, and the Osaka Finance Ministry in Japan has verified that this pattern coin had been minted at the Osaka Mint, and that the name MALAYSIA was the Japanese name for that region, at that time.