text: Japanese occupation During World War II, Japanese forces initiated their invasion of the region by landing in Miri on 16 December 1941. Subsequently, they conquered Kuching on 24 December. On 25 December, Sibu experienced an air raid by nine Japanese warplanes that had flown from Kuching. Concerned about the impending invasion of Sibu, Andrew MacPherson, the Resident of the Third Division, made the decision to evacuate with his officers to the upstream area of the Rajang River. Their plan was to traverse through Batang Ai and navigate through the dense forests to reach Dutch Borneo. Unfortunately, they were apprehended and killed by Japanese forces at Ulu Moyan in Sarawak.
  On the evening of 26 December 1941, chaos erupted in Sibu as local residents began looting an unguarded government rice storeroom. This unrest extended beyond mere looting, with villagers residing along the Rajang River also partaking in thefts of daily necessities. The situation rapidly spiraled out of control, resulting in significant damage to the British Sime Darby company, Borneo Company Limited, and Chinese businessmen who became victims of these riots. In an attempt to restore order, Chinese businessmen in the region banded together to form a security alliance.
  To address the growing disorder, an advance team from Japan arrived in Sibu on 29 January 1942, after being summoned from Kuching. However, this team eventually fled Sibu and returned to Kuching. Consequently, a power vacuum persisted in the third division until 23 June 1942, when the Japanese headquarters in Kuching appointed Senda Nijiro as the new Resident of the Third Division of Sarawak. Upon assuming office, Senda Nijiro declared that the Imperial Japanese Army would assume complete control over people's lives and property in the region. On 8 August 1942, Sibu was officially renamed "Sibu-shu."