Visual Propaganda: A Symbolic Anti-thesis towards Japanese Occupation in Malaya (1942-1945)

Saiful Akram Che Cob

2019

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss an approach of propaganda used by the military regime of Japan (Dai Nippon), during the liberation campaign of Greater East Asia in Malaya in the timespan of 1942 to 1945. The methods used is through the impact and influence of visuals as a platform for effective indoctrination. The strategy is known as Minchin Ha’aku (winning the hearts of the people) and Senbu Kosaku (indoctrination and subduing of the people). The Japanese regime through the Department of Propaganda (Senden-Bu) is a unit that is responsible for enforcing this program, through rigid censorships before it reaches the masses. Hence, this paper systematically analyses the visuals as a propaganda entity that can persuade the people of Malaya to support the New Order and its policies (Shin Chitsujo) promoted by the Japanese administration. The manifestation of visual artworks in the form of propagandistic posters, pamphlets, illustration and editorial cartoons filled the spaces of buildings, offices, schools and in prints such as newspapers and magazines. It is clear that historical records tend to describe a negative tendency towards the Japanese occupation. Therefore this paper gives a new and an alternative perspective which shows that there is support towards the occupation and its policies whereby visuals becomes its pictorial narrative.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Cob S. (2019). Visual Propaganda: A Symbolic Anti-thesis towards Japanese Occupation in Malaya (1942-1945).In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities - Volume 1: ICONARTIES, ISBN 978-989-758-450-3, pages 377-381. DOI: 10.5220/0008765103770381

in Bibtex Style

@conference{iconarties19,
author={Saiful Akram Che Cob},
title={Visual Propaganda: A Symbolic Anti-thesis towards Japanese Occupation in Malaya (1942-1945)},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities - Volume 1: ICONARTIES,},
year={2019},
pages={377-381},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0008765103770381},
isbn={978-989-758-450-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities - Volume 1: ICONARTIES,
TI - Visual Propaganda: A Symbolic Anti-thesis towards Japanese Occupation in Malaya (1942-1945)
SN - 978-989-758-450-3
AU - Cob S.
PY - 2019
SP - 377
EP - 381
DO - 10.5220/0008765103770381