Arrival of Bose in Japan (1943)

The arrival of Subhas Chandra Bose in Japan in 1943 marked a decisive turning point in India’s struggle for independence during the Second World War. It signalled the consolidation of the Indian National Army (INA) and the establishment of the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind). Bose’s journey to Japan and subsequent leadership of the INA transformed the Indian nationalist movement into an international campaign against British colonial rule.

Background and Early Developments

Subhas Chandra Bose, a former president of the Indian National Congress, had long advocated for complete independence from British rule and opposed the Congress’s moderate approach under Mahatma Gandhi. During the Second World War, Bose sought to use the global conflict to secure India’s freedom by aligning with powers opposed to Britain.
After escaping British surveillance in January 1941, Bose travelled incognito from Calcutta through Afghanistan to the Soviet Union and eventually reached Germany in April 1941. There, he established the Free India Centre in Berlin and formed the Indian Legion from Indian prisoners of war captured by the Axis forces in North Africa. However, as the war progressed, Germany’s attention shifted to Europe, and Bose realised that Japan’s military successes in Asia offered a more realistic opportunity to advance the cause of Indian independence.

Journey from Germany to Japan

By early 1943, Bose decided to relocate to East Asia, where Japan had already captured large parts of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaya, and Burma (Myanmar), which had significant Indian populations and many Indian soldiers held as prisoners of war.
His extraordinary journey to Japan was undertaken under extreme secrecy:

• On 8 February 1943, Bose left Kiel, Germany, aboard the German submarine U-180.
• In the Indian Ocean near Madagascar, he was transferred mid-sea to a Japanese submarine I-29—a rare and daring wartime operation demonstrating the importance both Axis powers attached to his mission.
• After an arduous journey, Bose finally reached Sabang (in Sumatra) and then Tokyo, Japan, in May 1943.

Reception and Significance of His Arrival

Bose’s arrival in Japan was met with great anticipation and enthusiasm by Japanese officials and Indian nationalists in East Asia. The Japanese government and military viewed him as a charismatic leader capable of inspiring Indians across Asia to rise against British rule.
He was received with official honours and held meetings with Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who expressed Japan’s support for India’s independence. Tojo assured Bose that Japan sought not to dominate India but to help Indians achieve freedom from British imperialism.

Leadership of the Indian National Army (INA)

After arriving in East Asia, Bose assumed leadership of the Indian National Army (INA), which had been originally organised under Captain Mohan Singh and later revived by Rash Behari Bose, an Indian revolutionary based in Japan since the early twentieth century.
On 4 July 1943, Rash Behari Bose formally handed over command of the INA to Subhas Chandra Bose, marking the beginning of a new, dynamic phase in the movement. Under Bose’s leadership:

• The INA was reorganised and expanded into a disciplined military force of over 40,000 soldiers.
• The troops were drawn largely from Indian prisoners of war and expatriates in Malaya, Singapore, and Burma.
• The INA adopted the battle cry “Chalo Dilli” (On to Delhi), symbolising its mission to liberate India from British rule.
• The army’s divisions were named after national heroes — Gandhi Brigade, Nehru Brigade, Azad Brigade, and Subhas Brigade.

Bose’s arrival invigorated the INA and transformed it into a symbol of militant nationalism, uniting Indians overseas under a single banner of independence.

Formation of the Provisional Government of Free India

Following his arrival and the revitalisation of the INA, Bose declared the establishment of the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind Government) on 21 October 1943 in Singapore. He assumed the titles of Head of State, Prime Minister, and Supreme Commander of the INA.
The government was recognised by several Axis powers, including Japan, Germany, Italy, Thailand, and Burma, and was given authority over Indian territories liberated from British control.
Under Japanese support, the INA and the Azad Hind Government took control of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, renaming them Shaheed (Martyr) Island and Swaraj (Self-Rule) Island, respectively—symbolic of India’s emerging sovereignty.

Bose’s Visit to Japan and Wartime Activities

During his stay in Japan, Bose held several key meetings to coordinate efforts between Japanese military command and the INA. His discussions focused on strategic collaboration for the planned military campaign to enter India through Burma.

• Bose broadcast inspiring speeches through Radio Tokyo, urging Indians to join the freedom struggle and overthrow British rule.
• He sought to maintain the INA’s independence in command structure, emphasising that its ultimate loyalty was to India, not Japan.
• His charisma and organisational skill helped secure funding, volunteers, and logistical support from Indian communities across Southeast Asia.

By late 1943, Bose moved his operational headquarters to Rangoon (Yangon) and later to Mandalay, directing military preparations for the invasion of British India through the Imphal-Kohima front in northeast India.

Impact and Historical Importance

Bose’s arrival in Japan in 1943 had profound consequences for the course of India’s freedom movement:

• It transformed the INA from a loosely organised force into a structured, ideologically motivated army.
• His leadership gave international recognition to India’s struggle for independence.
• The Azad Hind Government served as a symbolic assertion of India’s sovereignty on foreign soil.
• The INA’s campaigns in Burma and northeastern India, though ultimately unsuccessful militarily, demonstrated the readiness of Indians to fight for freedom and undermined the moral legitimacy of British rule.
• The INA trials (1945–46) that followed Bose’s death stirred nationalist sentiments in India, accelerating the demand for independence.