Japanese occupation of Portuguese Timor
Japanese occupation of Timor | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motto: 八紘一宇 ("Hakkō Ichiu") "Eight Crown Cords, One Roof" | |||||||||
| Anthem: 君が代 ("Kimigayo") "His Majesty's Reign" | |||||||||
| Status | Military occupation by the Empire of Japan | ||||||||
| Capital | Dili | ||||||||
| Common languages | Japanese Portuguese | ||||||||
| Emperor | |||||||||
• 1942–1945 | Hirohito | ||||||||
| Historical era | World War II | ||||||||
| Currency | Japanese military yen | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | East Timor | ||||||||
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Portuguese Timor was occupied by the Empire of Japan during World War II, between February 1942 until August 1945.[1] It led to a major humanitarian disaster, where about 15% of the population perished from famine, breakdown of agriculture, disease, overwork or military reprisal.[1]
The entire Portuguese administration was interned in the Liquiçá-Maubara concentration camps, the only exception being a group of former socialists and deportees styled the Red Brigades, who fled to the mountains to resist the Japanese.[1] Other pro-Allied groups were evacuated to Australia and many Timorese would die as a result of their support for the allies.[1]
Portuguese dictator António Salazar protested bitterly the violation of Portuguese neutrality, though he never broke official diplomatic relations with Japan.[1] By the war's end, Portuguese ships that arrived from Mozambique revived the administration and provided invaluable relief for the population.[1] Salazar also managed to win American support for Portugal's post-war role in Timor.[1]