JAPANESE SETTLEMENT IN THE TOWN OF GLAN

This study examines the Japanese settlement in the town of Glan, Sarangani Province, from 1916 to 1945, focusing on the reasons for their arrival, their activities in the community, and their experiences during and after World War II. Using the historical descriptive method, the study utilized documentary analysis and key informant interviews with four
descendants of Japanese settlers from the barangays of Tango, Baliton, and Pangyan in Glan, as well as Buayan, General Santos City. The study found that Japanese settlers arrived in Glan from the Davao region as early as 1916 and established themselves in the community by assuming various roles such as merchants, farmers, carpenters, and fishermen. The study argues that their economic and social activities, including the cultivation and trading of abaca and coconut, marriage with local women, and integration into local communities, facilitated their settlement and acceptance among residents. It further concludes that their settlement was connected to Japanese intelligence-gathering and preparations for the eventual invasion of the Philippines. During the war, some settlers
were captured or killed, while others were repatriated to Japan. The study documents an important but relatively localized dimension of Japanese prewar presence in Southern Mindanao and contributes to the preservation of local historical accounts of Japanese settlement in Glan.

Keywords: World War Il, Japanese settlement, Glan