This is one of the Military Administration Currency notes issued by Japan for use in occupied Malaya following the February 1942 fall of Singapore. The Japanese government printed these notes in Tokyo before the campaign even concluded — a logistical confidence that proved warranted. They replaced the Straits Settlements Dollar at par, though the local population quickly dubbed them "banana money," a reference to the banana tree motif that appeared on higher denominations.
Rampant overprinting throughout the occupation triggered severe inflation. By 1945 the currency had collapsed almost entirely, and redemption after liberation was refused — the notes became worthless overnight when the war ended.
This is one of the Military Administration Currency notes issued by Japan for use in occupied Malaya following the February 1942 fall of Singapore. The Japanese government printed these notes in Tokyo before the campaign even concluded — a logistical confidence that proved warranted. They replaced the Straits Settlements Dollar at par, though the local population quickly dubbed them "banana money," a reference to the banana tree motif that appeared on higher denominations.
Rampant overprinting throughout the occupation triggered severe inflation. By 1945 the currency had collapsed almost entirely, and redemption after liberation was refused — the notes became worthless overnight when the war ended.