The Japanese Imperial Army invaded Burma (now Myanmar) in January 1942, conquered Mandalay 21 May 1942, and forced the British to retreat into India.
In 1942 the Japanese issued paper scrip currency of 1, 5 and 10 cents and ¼, ½, 1, 5 and 10 Rupees. Japanese military currency was money issued to soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces as a salary. Japanese invasion money, officially known as Southern Development Bank Notes, was currency issued as a replacement for local currency after the conquest of colonies.
Japanese coins produced during late stages of the Manchuria occupation have a rare trait—they contained absolutely no metal. By 1944, Japanese metal shortages were so severe producing even cheaply made aluminum coins became a challenge. This was a particular issue in the puppet state of Manchukuo, otherwise known as the Empire of Manchuria in what is now northern China.
Japanese forces developed the novel solution of phasing out metal altogether. These 5 fens and 1 fen coins are made of a red fibrous material similar in weight to cardboard, though they are magnesite-based and durable. The coins circulated in Manchukuo until the Soviet invasion of Manchuria and the subsequent surrender of Imperial Japan, marking the end of the war and the return of Manchuria to China.
Letters on the notes (in Capital Red ink) indicate where the notes are being used: B=Burma, P=Phillipines and so on.
Paper currency Coins