Sabah was under the British Administration at that time.  Japanese companies in Tawau involved in supporting the Japanese army to occupy Sabah during the second world war.  After the war, British asked the Japanese to leave Tawau and their business properties were con-festicate and auctioned to the public.

Chinese businessmen acquired over the Japanese business properties through auction from the British.  They carry on and redeveloped the previous Japanese properties with success at the same time keep a very low profile and quiet about the Japanese every present in Sabah.   Thus very little is know about the Japanese history in Tawau today except the old Chinese in Tawau.

Many of the very old remaining coconuts trees you see in Tawau were planted by the Japanese 70 years ago.

There are several Japanese names in Tawau

Today the following 4 roads remain the old original name by the Japanese :

Jalan Kuhara ,  with a similar name.

1) Jalan Kuhara, with a school named SMK Kuhara

2) Jalan Kubota (久保田- 甲波打軍營及甲波打路, 久保田椰园) a military camp named Kem Kubota and a golf course Kubota Goft Course

3) Jalan KuKusan and

4) Jalan DR. Yamamoto (山本醫生路)

5) Jalan Nisan Norin

四號麻房 was original started by a Japanese Company.  Until today the Hakka Chinese planters still call the area as 四號麻房

If you are keen enought to ask the old Chinese about stories on Japanese War, many of the old folks would tell you about a 'Treasure Cave' of the Japanese army about 1 kilometer from the White Bridge toward Merotai.

Japanese Today

There are about 20 Japanese living in Tawau today. Most of them in the timber business.