Abstract

Japan has contributed to the process of forging a Singaporean statehood in several ways : as a catalyst for the eventual independence of Singapore in 1965, as a source of capital for economic development, as a model developmental state, as a model for the internal security of the state and as a model of the type of labour force and nation required to achieve rapid economic development

Despite the ravages caused by Japan during its occupation of Singapore (1942-1945), Japan was used as a model sate by Singapore's leaders, Lee Kuan Yew in particular, to forge the type of nation they deemed requisite for rapid economic development. This study of the bi-lateral relations seeks to complement the existing works on Southeast Asia's relations with Japan which approach this subject largely from a regional (ASEAN) perspective

It also seeks to fill a gap in the literature on Southeast Asia Japan relations : the impact of Japan upon the process of forging and consolidating independent nation-states in Southeast Asia in the Post-war era

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