What is life like during the Japanese Occupation in Singapore?

Singapore was occupied by the Japanese from the years of
1942-1945 and renamed "Shonan-to" during the period of occupation, which meant "Island
of the Light of the South" in Japanese. The Japanese army enforced their rule through
the Kempeitai, the military police force, who played a major role in oppressing
anti-Japanese elements in Singapore. The Japanese were especially suspicious of local
Chinese, who had supported the Nationalist forces in China, through the provision of
financial assistance, in their struggle against the invading imperial army. The
outpouring of support from the local Chinese community made them a prime target of the
Kempeitai - they were largely assumed to be anti-Japanese in nature and viewed as
supporters of China. From February 18 to March 4, 1942, large numbers of Singaporean
Chinese were subsequently detained by the Kempeitai and summarily executed. This
large-scale murder of Chinese citizens by the Japanese was known as the Sook Ching
Massacre.

The Japanese regime also enforced absolute
control over the island through the use of fear. Neighbours were encouraged to spy on
each other and to report any suspicious behaviour they had observed to the Kempeitai.
Families also had to be registered with the authorities. This allowed the Japanese
military police to easily whet out any anti-Japanese elements. Many locals also suffered
economically. Food and material shortages were common occurrences during the occupation,
as the Japanese took all the resources they could attain to sustain their war machine
and to feed the imperial army. As a result, prices of basic necessities rose and
inflation rates spiralled out of control. In response to such economic problems, the
authorities began to ration out necessities. A black market soon developed to meet the
demand for goods amongst Singaporeans. However, prices were so high that few could
afford to buy large quantities - many resorted to growing crops, such as sweet potatoes,
in their own backyards or gardens to stave off hunger.