2016-02-04 Thu

Did you know that the Government of Japan issued rupee banknotes?

During the Second World War Japan invaded Burma in January 1942. They conquered Mandalay on 21 May 1942, forcing the British to retreat into India. The Japanese held Burma till 1944, although an official surrender did not take place until August 1945.

Burma (Myanmar) was using the Indian rupee under the British Government. The puppet Burmese government then started using Indian rupee notes that were issued by the Imperial Government of Japan. In 1942 the Japanese issued paper currency of 1, 5 and 10 cents and ¼, ½, 1, 5 and 10 Rupees and a 100 Rupee note was issued in 1944.

Like most of the Japanese colonial currency from this period, a letter code was used on the notes. The notes with the letter “B” were printed and issued for Burma.

The Japanese legend at the bottom of each note read “Government of Great Imperial Japan” along with the seal of the Japanese symbol for the Minister of Finance.

These notes became valueless once the Japanese were overthrown and most of them were brunt while others had holes punched on them to indicate that the note had been "cancelled" and therefore devalued.