, officially , was the name for Singapore when it was occupied and ruled by the Empire of Japan, following the fall and surrender of British military forces on 15 February 1942 during World War II.
Japanese military forces occupied it after defeating the combined British, Indian, Australian, Malayan and the Straits Settlements garrison in the Battle of Singapore. The occupation was to become a major turning point in the histories of several nations, including those of Japan, Britain, and Singapore. Singapore was renamed Syonan-to, meaning "Light of the South Island" and was also included as part of the .
Singapore was officially returned to British colonial rule on 12 September 1945, following the formal signing of the surrender at the Municipal Building, currently known as City Hall. After the return of the British, there was growing political sentiments amongst the local populace in tandem with the rise of anti-colonial and nationalist fervor, as many felt that the British were no longer competent with the administration and defence of the crown colony and its inhabitants.
Shortly after the war, the Straits Settlements was dissolved and Singapore became a separate crown colony in 1946. It would go on to achieve self-governance in 1959, before becoming a sovereign city-state a few years later in 1965. The day of the surrender of the British to the Japanese in 1942 continues to be commemorated in Singapore with Total Defence Day, which is marked annually on 15 February.
Events leading to the occupation
On 8 December 1941, Singapore was hit by the first Japanese bombs. After the air strike, the Japanese forces focused their invasion on Malaya (present-day Peninsular Malaysia). During that time, the people in Malaya and Singapore thought the British rulers could defend them. However, the Japanese had soldiers who were well-trained in jungle warfare. They used light tanks to move quickly through the jungle. As a result, they managed to capture Malaya within 55 days. By 31 January 1942, the Japanese forces had captured Johor Bahru. The British forces retreated from Malaya to Singapore. They then blew up the Johor-Singapore Causeway, which linked Malaya and Singapore. They wanted to delay the Japanese forces from entering Singapore. The British plan for the defense of Singapore was to guard against attacks from the sea. For example, there were costal defenses guarding the southern coastline of Singapore. However, the Japanese forces entered Singapore via the northwestern coastline. On 7 February 1942, the Japanese forces attacked Pulau Ubin to mislead the British forces into thinking that they would attack Singapore from the northeast. The very next day, The Japanese forces made use of boats to cross the Straits of Johor. On 9 February 1942, The Japanese forces repaired the Causeway, which had been blown up by the British forces. They then crossed into Singapore. 2 days later, the Japanese forces reached Bukit Timah, where there was a reservoir. This was also where the British kept their food and weapons. Fierce fighting took place, with Chinese volunteers and British forces fighting against the Japanese forces. In the end, the British forces lost the battle. Many soldiers were killed on both sides. On 12 February, the Japanese forces attacked Fort Siloso at Sentosa. The British forces sank one of the Japanese ships. The next day, a fierce battle took place between the British forces and the Japanese forces at Pasir Panjang, where the British forces kept their military stores. Fighting alongside the British were soldiers from the Malay Regiment. They were led by Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi who died in the battle. The next day, Japanese soldiers charged into the Alexandra Military Hospital (present-day Alexandra Hospital), where they killed more than 200 hospital staff and patients. The British decided to surrender. The supplies of water, food and ammunition were running out, and the soldiers were tired. The British wanted to prevent more deaths. On the evening of 15 February 1942, Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, the leader of the British forces in Singapore, met Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the leader of the Japanese forces tasked to capture Malaya and Singapore. At the meeting, the British forces surrendered Singapore to the Japanese forces.