Palace of Ghosts: Singapore's Untold History

With Beijing's "Victory" parade in full swing today (September 3), I decided to write a short post about historical memory which is a key theme that runs throughout " Palace of Ghosts: Singapore's Untold History " Find out more about the book In many ways this post may also be considered as an epilogue to my recently concluded 5 part series on one of the most enigmatic characters in the book Yoshichika Tokugawa. How is VJ Day remembered across Asia—and what does that say about the stories we choose to tell? At first glance, this may seem like a departure from the storyline of Palace of Ghosts. And in a narrow sense, it is. But I’ve chosen to explore this topic because the way we remember—or misremember—VJ Day reveals deeper, unresolved tensions in historical memory. These tensions sit at the very heart of Palace of Ghosts. The book is not just about events, but about narrative power: who controls the story, what is preserved, what is buried. The politics of ...

TL;DR – Tokugawa’s Final Visit to Johor (and What It Reveals) In early December 1941, Marquis Yoshichika Tokugawa returned to Malaya—this time in military uniform, as a key adviser to the Japanese 25th Army. Though not a soldier, he was viewed as the Emperor’s trusted emissary. His close friendship with Sultan Ibrahim of Johor proved critical: Johor became the launchpad for Japan’s final push into Singapore. As Japanese generals moved into Istana Bukit Serene—converting its tower into a command post—Tokugawa walked a fine line between diplomacy, loyalty, and personal conviction. Meanwhile, the Sultan, declining evacuation, gambled his life on that friendship. The rest is well-documented history: Singapore fell, the Sultan survived, and Tokugawa escaped trial—shielded, perhaps, by his imperial proximity. But who was Tokugawa really? A monarchist imperialist? A humanist scholar? A spy, a reformer, or both? His story in the Fall of Singapore is largely unknown. But what hidden role did he...

In the last post  we traced the evolution of the Japanese presence in Southeast Asia during the half century or so before the outbreak of World War II (WWII). In this post the tables are turned–sort of–as Southeast Asia's richest potentate embarked on a historic journey to Japan. Read on to discover  how Sultan Ibrahim was received by the highest echelons of Tokyo’s imperial and political elite. Read Part 3 here

In the last post, we followed Marquis Yoshichika Tokugawa on his first visit to Singapore in 1921—a seemingly low-key personal trip. But Japan’s presence in the region was anything but recent. From the decades old trafficked sex workers trade to growing business networks, Tokugawa arrived as a ground swell of presence was taking place. In Part 3, we trace its evolution—from rising commercial interest to far murkier pursuits. Read Part 2 here

The previous post explored the theme of historical memory in the lead-up to VJ Day, focusing on the Fall of Singapore in 1942. It introduced Marquis Yoshichika Tokugawa—a largely overlooked figure whose role in those dramatic events has long remained in the shadows. He is one of several key figures whose hidden stories form the untold history at the heart of Palace of Ghosts , all of them intricately connected to the Palace that gives the book its name. In this second post of the series, we begin to unravel his story and ask: Who was Tokugawa? Read Part 1 here Hunter, Scholar, Nobleman The life Sultan Ibrahim of Johor reads like an epic novel—an extraordinary blend of adventure, intrigue and romance. But while the Sultan’s story often steals the spotlight, Palace of Ghosts reveals a cast of equally fascinating characters who shaped his destiny in profound and sometimes surprising ways. One of the most compelling figures in this saga is Marquis Yoshichika Tokugawa—a Japanese aristoc...

VJ Day Victory over Japan Day, the day that World War II (WWII) ended in Asia, is commemorated around the world on both August 15th, when Japan surrendered in 1945, and on September 2 when the surrender documents were formally signed, also in 1945. As the anniversary of VJ Day draws near, ceremonies and reflections will unfold around the world. In Malaysia and Singapore, however, the date passes with relatively little official recognition. The Japanese invasion of Malaya and Singapore, including the Fall of Singapore on February 15, 1942, and ending with Japan’s surrender three and a half years later, remains a defining but selectively remembered chapter in Southeast Asian history. An AI-generated image of Lieutenant General Arthur Percival surrendering to General Yamashita (generated using ChatGPT, June 2025,  prompt: Percival surrendering to Yamashita) Historical Memory: What We Remember ... Or Forget Certain events, and associated images, have become iconic. Some contemporaneous...