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Japanese Economic Activities in Sabah from the 1890s until 1941

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2011

Sabihah Osman
Sabihah Osman
Affiliation:
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
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Abstract

Most writings on Sabah's socio-economic development tend to focus on the roles by the British and other Europeans but neglect contributions by the Japanese, who were at least equally important to Sabah's economic growth. This article provides a study of Japanese economic activity in Sabah, focusing on immigrant workers and highlighting the policies of successive Japanese governments toward emigration to Sabah.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , March 1998 , pp. 24 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1998

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References

1 Shimomoto, Yukata, “Early Japanese Immigrants in British North Borneo”, Sabah Society Journal 10 (1993): 33Google Scholar.

2 Shimomoto, Yukata, “Japan and the Chartered Company”, Sabah Society Journal 7 (1981-1982): 124–27Google Scholar.

3 Manuscript kept in the Library Tun Fuad Stephens, Sabah Foundation, Kota Kinabalu.

4 Fujio, Hara, “Japanese Activities in North Borneo before World War 2: Focus on Labour Immigrants”, Sejarah (Journal of the History Department, University of Malaya) 2 (1992): 131–45Google Scholar.

5 Tregonning, K.G., A History of Modern Sabah 1881-1963 (Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press, 1967), p. 153Google Scholar.

6 Cited in Shimomoto, “Japan and the Chartered Company”, p. 125.

7 Ibid., p. 126.

8 Official Gazette 1892-91 Census in Sullivan, Anwar and Regis, Patricia, “Demography” in Sullivan, Anwar and Regis, Patricia, ed., Centenary History of Sabah 1881-1981 (Kota Kinabalu: 1981), pp. 550–51Google Scholar. See also The British North Borneo Herald (BNBH), 1 Jan. 1894, 1 Mar. 1894, and Fujio, “Japanese Activities in North Borneo before World War 2”, pp. 131-45.

9 Tregonning, Sabah, p. 153.

10 Shimomoto, “Japanese Immigrants in Tawau”.

11 Ibid.

12 Ibid.

13 Quoted from Fujio, “Japanese Activities in North Borneo”, p. 132; see also CO874/874.

14 Shimomoto, “Tawau”, pp. 4-5.

15 Robertson, Eric, The Japanese File (Kuala Lumpur: Heinemann Asia, 1979), p. 40Google Scholar.

16 Toyo Imin Goshi Kaisha's despatch to its London Agent, C.T. Sisley, 21 Sep. 1915 and Governor Pearson's despatch to H. Forbes, Secretary of the BNBCC, 23 Apr. 1915, CO874/704.

17 Chairman Ridgeway's letter to Fraser, 20 Jan. 1916, CO874/704.

18 Ridgeway to G. Fiddes, Conf., 13 Jun. 1916, CO874/704.

19 Ibid., 27 Jun. 1919, CO874/703.

20 G. Fiddes to Ridgeway, 5 Aug. 1919, CO874/703.

21 Shimomoto, “Tawau”, p. 7 and Mason, R.H.P. and Caiger, J.G., A History of Japan (Melbourne: Cassell, 1972), pp. 278–79Google Scholar.

22 Confidential Report by the Secretary of the North Borneo government, G.C. Irving, 26 Sep. 1918, CO874/873.

23 Shimomoto, ‘Tawau”, pp. 10-13.

24 Ibid.

25 Officer Administering Government's (Sabah) despatch, 28 Oct. 1927, CO874/873.

26 Governor Fraser to the Managing Director of BNBCC, 13 Sep. 1926, CO874/703.

27 Elphinstone to Fraser, 20 Jul. 1926, CO874/703.

28 Extract from Hong Kong Naval Military and Air Force Intelligence Report, 1935, CO531/26.

29 Mason and Caiger, A History of Japan, p. 280.

30 Letter from Manager of Tawau Rubber Estate, Nippon Industrial Co. Ltd., S. Tanaka to Governor of Sabah, 30 May 1932, CO874/909.

31 Letter from the Government Secretary to the Manager Tawau Rubber Estate, 19 Jul. 1932, CO874/909.

32 Shimomoto, “Tawau”, p. 24.

33 Ibid., pp. 23-24, and Fujio, “Japanese Immigrants”, p. 139.

34 Shimomoto, “Tawau”, p. 25.

35 Mason and Caiger, A History of Japan, pp. 284-88, and Webb, Herschel, An Introduction to Japan (New York: Colombia University Press, 1955), pp. 33–34Google Scholar.

36 Japanese Activities in British North Borneo, CO531/26.

37 Nippon Industrial Co. Ltd., CO874/908.

38 Ibid.

39 Japanese Settlement in North Borneo, 1919, CO537/840.

40 Japanese Fishing Interest, CO531/26.

41 Governor of the Straits Settlements, Shenton Thomas' secret despatch to President of BNBCC, Neil Malcolm, 19 May 1938 and Malcolm's secret reply to Thomas, 30 May 1938, CO874/703.

42 Secret despatch from H.R. Cowell (Colonial Office) to Neil Malcolm, 6 Sep. 1938 and Governor C.R. Smith's secret despatch to Malcolm, 10 Oct. and 17 Oct. 1938, CO874/704, quoted in Fujio, “Japanese Immigrants”, p. 142.

43 Ibid.

44 Memo by the Secretary of the BNBCC, W.O. Pidgen, 14 Oct. 1938, CO874/874.

45 Neil Malcolm to Sir Walter Buchanan-Smith, Glasgow, 7 Jul. 1937, CO874/1105, War with Japan.

46 Letter from J.M. Hood of the Bakau and Kenya Extract Co. Ltd. to W.O. Pidgeon, 24 Jan. 1939 and Governor Smith's secret despatch to the President of BNBCC, 20 Dec. 1938, CO874/874.

47 Governor Smith's secret despatch to the President of BNBCC, 8 Apr. 1940, CO874/875.

48 Shimomoto, “Tawau”, pp. 27-29.

49 Immigrants from Formosa, GSO03512 and NBCA1187.

50 ISIS Report on British Borneo, Ports and Towns, Interservice Topographical Department, Dec. 1944. See also CO874/908-910 and CO531/47/7.

51 Intelligence Report (n.d.), CO531/26.

52 Ibid.

53 Ibid.

54 NBCA72A and 72B, Borneo Fishing Company at Si-Amil Island.

55 ISIS Report on British Borneo, Dec. 1944.

56 Letter from HM Trade Commissioner, R.B. Willmot, Singapore to the Comptroller-General, Department of Overseas Trade, London, 9 Apr. 1936, CO531/26.

57 Reconstruction and Development of Japanese Estates, CO531/47/6 and 7.

58 Fujio, “Japanese Activities”, p. 143.

59 Ibid.

60 NBCA917, Japanese Consulate.

61 Circular No. 159.

62 Report by the British Ambassador to Tokyo to Foreign Office, 11 Apr. 1941, FO371/2790, Anglo-Japanese Relations.

63 Sino-Japanese Friction, NBCA1473.

64 Japanese Fishing Interest, CO531/26.

65 Circular Unnumbered Secret, 15 Jan. 1941, CO874/1102.

66 See S.B.0077/71, 0077/76, 0077/72 in FO 371/28019 Japanese Activities in North Borneo.

67 See Circular No. 134 regarding censorship, CO874/1102, Relations with Japan.

68 FO371/27961, Japan-Malaya Relations.

69 See the Commandant North Borneo Report in FO371/28019 and CO874/910.

70 FO371/27892, Anglo-Japanese Relations.

71 Robertson, The Japanese File, pp. 6-7.

72 Circular telegram, 23 May 1941, CO874/1102, Political Relations with Japan.

73 CO874/1102 Political Relations with Japan.

74 CO531/26.

75 Telegram from Governor of Sabah to British Agent, Singapore, 2 Mar. 1941, CO874/1102.

76 Governor C.R. Smith to the President of BNBCC, Sir Neil Malcolm, 14 Feb. 1941, CO874/1102.

77 Sir Edward Gent, CO Far Eastern Department to President of BNBCC, Sir Neil Malcolm, 20 Mar. 1941, CO874/1102.

78 Ibid., 27 Mar. 1941.

79 FO371/27973, War Preparation against Japan.

80 CO874/1102, Political Relations with Japan.

81 FO371/27888 Anglo-Japanese Relations.

82 Reconstruction and Development of Japanese Estates CO531/47/6 and /7.