Japanese government-issued rupee in Burma

The Japanese government-issued rupee in Burma was a Japanese invasion money issued by the Japanese Military Authority, as a replacement for local currency during the Japanese occupation of Burma in the Second World War.

The Japanese invaded Burma in January 1942. They conquered Mandalay on 21 May 1942, forcing the British to retreat into India. The Japanese held Burma until the second Allied campaign of 1944, although an official surrender did not take place until August 1945. In 1942 the Japanese issued paper scrip currency of 1, 5 and 10 cents and ¼, ½, 1, 5 and 10 Rupees. Like most Japanese colonial currency from this period, a letter code was used on the notes. The first or top letter “B” indicates the note was printed and issued for Burma. The second letter or letters indicate the block (or printing batch) of the note, there are single letter blocks and double letter blocks for Burma, with the later two letter blocks being identified by a hyphen separating the letter "B" from the block letters.

In 1943, the Japanese commuted the sentence of Dr Ba Maw, an outspoken advocate for Burmese self-rule, and installed him as the head of the puppet government. From 1943 onward the Japanese issued paper scrip currency of 1, 5 and 10 Rupee with a 100 Rupee note in 1944. The Japanese characters in the oblong box at the bottom of each note read “Government of Great Imperial Japan” and the contents of the seal at the lower right of the comprise the Japanese symbol for the Minister of Finance.

When all of these notes became obsolete, punch holes were made to indicate that the note had been "cancelled" and therefore devalued.

Prior to the Japanese invasion, Burma circulated the Indian rupee issued by the Reserve Bank of India[1] since nationalized paper currency was introduced by the British Administration in 1897.[2]

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The Japanese occupation of Burma refers to the period between 1942 and 1945 during World War II, when Burma was occupied by the Empire of Japan. The Japanese had assisted formation of the Burma Independence Army, and trained the Thirty Comrades, who were the founders of the modern Armed Forces (Tatmadaw). The Burmese hoped to gain support of the Japanese in expelling the British, so that Burma could become independent.[1][2]

In 1942, during World War II, Japan invaded Burma and nominally declared Burma independent as the State of Burma on 1 August 1943. A puppet government led by Ba Maw was installed. However, it soon became apparent that the Japanese had no intention of giving independence to Burma.[1][2]

Aung San, father of the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, nationalist leaders formed the Anti-Fascist Organisation in August 1944, which asked the United Kingdom to form a coalition with other allies against the Japanese. By April 1945, the Allies had driven out the Japanese. Subsequently, negotiations began between the Burmese and the British for independence. Under Japanese occupation, 170,000 to 250,000 civilians died.

(A) BANKNOTES OF JAPANESE GOVERNMENT (1942-45)

Burma had been a source of unrest in the Pacific area for several years when the World War II broke out. A strong movement for independence had developed there, supported by Prime Minister U Saw. He admired Japan and supported the training of agents to overthrow the British. The British, not willing to grant Burma independence, arrested U Saw to thwart his efforts. On January 18, 1942, the day U Saw was arrested, General Shojiro and his Japanese 15th Army moved from northern Thailand and took the sea port and airfield of Tavoy in southern Burma. By January the Japanese had captured Moulmein, and on March 7, Rangoon. After Mandalay fell on May 21, the British retreated into India, marking the end of British influence.  

The Japanese War Ministry made initial requests for military notes for certain unspecified areas as early as January 16, 1941. On April 1 of that year the Cabinet Printing Office was ordered to produce the first notes for the Dutch East Indies and Malaya.  

Small denomination banknotes of 1, 5, and 10 cents were prepared from a common design and size for each value, but with a different color and code letter for the five areas. The code letters for Burma began with B. These notes had no watermarks. All notes are headed with the phrase the japanese government written in English. Denominations from 50 cents upwards had a quatrefoil watermark, a common border but individual central design with a picture appropriate for each country—pagodas being the choice for Burma.  On April 1, 1942 the Japanese government established the Southern Development Bank to act as the central bank for all occupied territories. 

The Yokohama Specie Bank was opend in August 1942. Two months later, the Nampo Kaihatu Kinko (Southern Regions Treasury) Bank was opened. At the beginning of October 1942 Japanese notes with a letter M were in circulation in Burma, thought to be printed for Malaya. Denominations known were 1, 5, 10, 50 cents, 5 and 10 dollars, with the three highest values having a “promise to pay”.  Notes with prefix B were reported for 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 5 rupees. It was also noted that there was no promise to pay. The 1, 5, and 10 cents were issued in October 1943. The 1/4, 1/2, 1 and 5 rupees were issued in March 1942 while the watermarked 10 rupees, the 10 rupee with silk thread and the 100 rupees were issued in 1942, 1944, and 1945, respectively. 

On August 1, 1943, the commander of the Japanese forces in Burma declared a withdrawl as an occupation force and Burma became an “independent and sovereign state.” Dr. Ba Maw, a former prime minister under the British, was appointed as the Adipadi (head of the state) of Burma. Japan kept troops in Burma, allegedly to protect against invasion from India but actually to continue the occupation. The overall climate remained one of oppression, and certainly did not resemble independence. Economically, Japan continued to exploit Burma’s resources, especially agricultural products.

1 cent (1942) Japanese Government Bank banknote for Burma 

1 CENT (1942)

This banknote is 95 x 46 mm in red on light green blue background. “THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT” and the value ONE CENT in English in large type is at the center in red ink printed over light green blue together with the number 1 in white.  One of the following code letters—BA, BB, BC, BE, BG, BH, BJ, BK, BL, BM, BN, BO, BR, BS, BT, BU, BV, BY, BZ; or fractional code letters B/AA, B/AB, B/AC, B/AD, B/AE, B/AG, B/AF, B/AH, B/AI, B/AJ, B/AK, B/AL, B/AM, B/AO, B/AP, B/AQ, B/AR, B/AS, B/AT, B/AY, B/AZ; B/BB, B/BD, B/BF, B/BW, B/BX, B/BY, B/BZ; B/CA, B/CB, B/CC, B/CD, B/CE, B/CF, B/CG, B/CK, B/CL, B/CM, B/CN, B/CO, B/CP, B/CQ, B/CR, B/CS, B/CT, B/CU, B/CV, B/CW, B/CX, CY; B/DA, B/DD, B/DE, B/DF, B/DH, B/DI, B/DJ, B/DK, B/DL, B/DQ, B/DT; and B/EF, B/EL, B/EN—was printed in red ink. The numeral value in white was printed at each corner. 

At bottom center, “Government of Great Imperial Japan” in Japanese characters is printed with white on red at the center.  “Minister of Finance” in Japanese characters inside the circular seal is located at the lower left side.  The reverse design is a simple depicting of a floral arabesque, in red, as background. A large size numeral value in white is at the center and at each of the four corners. No watermark was present for this banknote.

5 CENTS (1942)

This banknote 100 x 48 mm is in violet and light green. “THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT” and “FIVE CENTS” in English in large type are printed at the center. One of the code letters, BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BH, BI, BJ, BK, BL, BM, BN, BO, BR, BS, BT, BU; or fractional code letters B/AB, B/AH, B/AI, B/AJ, B/AK, B/AL, B/AM, B/AN, B/AO, B/AP, B/AQ, B/AR, B/AS, B/AT, B/AU, B/AV, B/AX, B/AY; B/BA, B/BB, B/BC, B/BD, B/BE, B/BF, B/BG, B/BH, B/BJ, B/BK, B/BL, B/BM, B/BN, B/BO, B/BP, B/BO, B/BQ, B/BR, B/BS, B/BT, B/BX is printed in red ink on the obverse side of this note. At bottom center, “Government of Great Imperial Japan” in Japanese characters is printed in white on light blue shape at the center. The Roman numeral V appears just above that. “Minister of Finance” in Japanese script at the bottom center.  A circular seal of the Government of Japan is located at the lower left side. The numeral value of the note in white is printed in the upper left and right corners. The reverse displays a violet floral arabesque, in violet color, as background. A large size numeral value in white is at the center and at each of the four corners. No watermark is present with this particular banknote.

10 cents (1942) Japanese Government Bank banknote for Burma 

10 CENTS (1942)

This banknote 106 x 51 mm is in brown and tan. “THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT”, at top center and TEN CENTS in large type is at the center. Any one of code letters, BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BH, BI, BJ, BK, BL, BM, BN, BO, BR, BS, BU, BV, BW, BY, BZ; or fractional code letters B/AA, B/AB, B/AC, B/AH, B/AI, B/AJ, B/AL, B/AM, B/AR is printed on obverse in brown ink. At bottom center, “Government of Great Imperial Japan” in Japanese script printed in white on brown in a rectangular shape is at center. “Minister of Finance” in Japanese script inside the circular seal is at lower left side. The numeral value of the banknote is printed in white at each corner. The reverse displays a floral arabesque in brown tan as a frame. A large size numeral value in white is at the center and at each corner. There is no watermark for this note.

1/4 cents (1942) Japanese Government Bank banknote for Burma

1/4  RUPEE (1942)

This banknote 107 x 51 mm is in blue and tan. “THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT” at the top center, and 1/4 RUPEE in large type is at the center. One of the code letters, BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BJ, BK, BM, BN, BO, BP, BQ, BR, BS, BV BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BJ, BK, BM, BN, BO, BP, BQ, BR, BS, BV is printed in red ink on the obverse. At bottom center, “Government of Great Imperial Japan” in Japanese script is printed in white with a blue shadow in  a rectangular shape.  “Minister of Finance” in Japanese script, is inside the circular seal at lower left side. The numeral value of this banknote is printed in white at each corner. The reverse displays a floral arabesque in blue and tan as a frame. A large size numeral value in white is at the center and at each corner. There is no watermark for this note.

1/2 rupee (1942) Japanese Government Bank banknote for Burma 

1/2  RUPEE (1942)

This banknote is 120 x 58 mm with an olive and pale green background. The banknote issuer “the japanese government ” and half rugee in large type is at left. The drawing of the Ananda Temple of Pagan along with palm trees and a bullock carts is at the right. One of the code letters, BA, BB, BC, BD is printed on obverse in red ink. At the bottom center, “Government of Great Imperial Japan” in Japanese characters is printed in white over olive in a rectangular shape at center.  “Minister of Finance” in Japanese character is inside the circular seal at lower left side. The numeral value of the banknote is printed in white at each corner. The reverse is a display of floral arabesque in an olive background. A large size numeral value in white is at left and right. 

1 rupee (1942) Japanese Government Bank banknote for Burma 

1 RUPEE (1942)

This banknote is 141 x 67 mm, green and pink in color. The title of the banknote “the japanese government”, and the value, one rupee in large size type in English is printed at the center. A floral arabesque in pink is printed in the center as background. A fruitful pawpaw tree is shown at the left and a panel framing the value is in front of the tree. 

The drawing of the Ananda Temple of Pagan along with palm trees and bullock carts, is at right. One of code letters, BA, BB, BC, BD is printed on the obverse in red ink. At the bottom center, “Government of Great Imperial Japan” in Japanese script is printed in white over olive in a rectangular shape at center.  “Minister of Finance” in Japanese characters is inside the circular seal at lower left side. The numeral value of the banknote is printed in white at the lower left and right corner. 

The reverse is a floral arabesque display in green as a background. The numeral value of the note is printed in eight places. A large size numeral value in green is at the center, and a small