Japanese government-issued rupee in Burma

Japanese government-issued rupee in Burma
10 Rupee Japanese occupation note obverse (1942-44)
Central bank	Japanese government
User(s)	Burma
Subunit
1/100	Cent
Plural	rupees
Cent	cents
Banknotes	1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, ¼ Rupee, ½ Rupee, 1 Rupee, 5 Rupees, 10 Rupees, 100 Rupees
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

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.

Before the Japanese invaded, Burma had the Indian rupee since the British conquered it in 1889.

Japanese government-issued rupee in Burma (1942-44)

1942-44 complete issue of Japanese invasion money (Burma)

Image	Value	Issue date[1]	Printing blocks[1]	Images[1]
	1 Cent	1942	BA–BP, B/AA–B/EX
	5 Cents	1942	BA–BZ, B/AB–B/BX
	10 Cents	1942	BA–BZ, B/AA–B/AR
	Quarter Rupee	1942	BA–BV
	Half Rupee	1942	BA–BD	Ananda Temple, Bagan
	1 Rupee	1942	BA–BD	Ananda Temple, Bagan
	5 Rupees	1942-44	BA–BB	Ananda Temple, Bagan
	10 Rupees	1942-44	BA	Ananda Temple, Bagan
	100 Rupees	1942-44	BA	Ananda Temple, Bagan

See also

• Emergency circulating notes
• Japanese government-issued dollar in Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei
• Burma
• Japanese invasion money

References

Works cited