The kikan was tasked with intelligence gathering and contacting the Indian independence movement, the overseas Chinese and the Malayan Sultan with the aim of encouraging friendship and cooperation with Japan and destabilising the British war effort in Malaya.
After the war started in South east Asia and Japan successfully invaded the Malaya, Fujiwara came to meet with Capt.
On the evening of the 16th, the Indian troops of the now amalgamated 1/14th and 5/14th Punjab were ordered by the Malaya command (of the commonwealth forces) to assemble at Farrer Park Field.
As an Indian Jawan present at the time remembers, Mohan Singh's speech was powerful and touched a chord, and the troops responded with wild enthusiasm and excitement.
Other smaller PoW camps housing Indian troops were set up at Bidadari, Tyersall, Buller, Seletar and Kranji.
A number of INA veterans present at the event also insist that Hunt's speech effectively told them they were under Japanese control and command.
This also fed a feeling of devaluation (handed over like cattle, as Shah Nawaz Khan later put it),[12] abandonment and of dishonour on part of the British high command that they perceived to have served loyally.
This, Bhiulabhai argued, legitimised the subsequent adoption of allegiance to Azad Hind by the troops since their original oath to the King emperor had been nullified by this act of the Malaya Command.