$20.99
In the period leading up to World War II, Japan’s intentions in the Pacific Rim nations were masked by the stated intent to free the area of European and American influences, the promise of promoting national independence and the development of a “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”. The plan was welcomed in many areas that endured centuries of western colonial rule. The replacement for the western influences was, of course, Japan’s influence. Support for the plan rapidly waned under the severe Japanese rule, and the emerging recognition that the occupied nations were to become simply the “southern resources area” for the Japanese military-industrial machine.
Immediately upon arrival Japan’s method of initiating control of the economies of the newly occupied territories was to replace the local currencies with new banknotes, prepared in advance, which are now referred to as “Japanese Invasion Money”(JIM’s). The areas where JIM’s were issued included China (including Hong Kong), Burma (currently Myanmar), Malaya (currently Malaysia), Netherlands East Indies (currently Indonesia), and the Philippines. Eventually, as the invasion stabilized in 1942, control of all the invasion currencies became consolidated under the control of Japan’s Southern Development Bank. Two years later, upon Japan’s surrender, all the invasion currencies became worthless. In the Philippines after the war, some citizens formed a group that compiled, marked and tallied a large portion of the local JIM’s in an unsuccessful effort to force redemption of the notes
These banknotes are the actual banknotes issued by the Japanese Government and used in the occupied Pacific Rim nations that were invaded and occupied during World War II. The notes were denominated in the native currencies and were originally issued to exchange on par with the Japanese yen at the time, so 1 yen = 1 peso, for example. The use of unauthorized currencies was often punishable by death. At the end of the war, these notes became worthless as currency, but quickly became much sought after as collector items.
Wholesale pricing available, contact wholesale@airaco.com for more information