Compare & Contrast the British and Japanese Agendas in Their Intrests in Singapore.

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Compare and contrast the British and Japanese agendas in their interests in Singapore. The first similarity between the British and Japanese agendas in their interests in Singapore is the setting up of a trading port and distribution center in Singapore to facilitate transportation of goods and raw materials back to their home countries. The British had started a trading port in Singapore, firstly because it has the strategic location in the Malay Archipelago, and was dubbed as the heart of it, therefore is in a commanding position to protect the ships between China and India. Secondly, Singapore was an excellent harbour and it has facilities to protect and repair the British ships. Thirdly, Singapore had a good supply of fresh water to replenish the ships. Lastly, there are no Dutch protecting the island and the British were allowed to start a trading settlement there. The Japanese desperately needed raw materials to be transported back to Japan. This was because Japan was resource-poor and because of Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy as the Axis Powers. Other Western countries who were fighting against Germany and Italy extended the embargo on raw materials sales to Japan. As a result, Southeast Asia was essential to Japanese imperial ambitions as they produced necessary resources like oil, tin and rubber. The second similarity is to break the Dutch control in the region. The British wanted to break the Dutch monopoly of trade as British and other European ships are restricted by the Dutch to trade at Batavia in Java and other ports not controlled by the Dutch such as Melaka. Furthermore, heavy taxes are charged, and foreign traders are demanded to fly the Dutch flag and apply for the pass of the Dutch before they are permitted to carry out trade. The Japanese wanted to overcome the Dutch in the East Indies. They used Singapore as a launch pad to attack

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