Kempeitai East District Branch

The Kempeitai East District Branch served as the headquarters for the Kempeitai, the military police of the Imperial Japanese Army, during Singapore's occupation from 1942 to 1945. Located in the historic Art Deco YMCA building on Stamford Road, it was notorious for the interrogation and torture of civilians, including war heroine Elizabeth Choy. After the war, the site became a memorial for the atrocities committed, and in 1995, it was designated as one of Singapore's World War II heritage sites. The Kempeitai was known for its brutal methods of interrogation and its extensive network of informers, creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust among the population. The building's dark history offers a poignant glimpse into the harsh realities of wartime Singapore.