Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence

The Investigating Committee for Preparatory Works for Independence (Indonesian: Badan Penyelidik Usaha-usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan (BPUPK)), (Japanese: 独立準備調査会 Dokuritsu Junbi Chōsa-kai), sometimes referred to as the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (Indonesian: Badan Penyelidik Usaha-usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia (BPUPKI)), was an organization set up in March 1945 by the Japanese military authority in Java during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia as the initial stage of the establishment of independence for the area under the control of the Japanese 16th Army. The BPUPK held two plenary meetings: 29 May - 1 June 1945 and 10-17 July 1945.

Realising Japan was losing the war, on 7 September 1944, the Japanese Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso promised "future independence for the Dutch East Indies", without specifying the exact extent of the nation to be established. The Japanese navy was not supportive of the idea, but the 25th Army in Sumatra established a Central Advisory Board, headed by Mohammad Sjafei, which met only once. Despite navy opposition, army-navy liaison vice-admiral Maeda Tadashi began to fund speaking tours by Indonesian nationalists Sukarno and Hatta. Other groups were set up, both civilian and military, and Indonesians began to be appointed to administrative posts. After the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the liberation of the Philippines, the Japanese abandoned hope of turning Indonesia into a puppet state, and now began to try and win goodwill. However, a rebellion by PETA militas in Blitar in February 1945 showed the Japanese they were losing control.

The BPUPK was announced by the 16th Army on 1 March 1945 to work on "preparations for independence in the region of the government of this island of Java". In the three months before the committee was established, a 19-member advisory board, or Sanyo Kaigi chaired by Sartono discussed the organization, agenda and membership of it. The membership was to comprise 30 Indonesians, 3 Japanese and one representative each of the Chinese, Arab and Dutch ethnic groups. The board agreed to the two-stage Japanese plan of an investigating committee for Java, followed by a preparation committee for all of Indonesia. It also agreed that the territory of the independent state would not be discussed The BPUPK eventually met in the building formerly used by the Volksraad (People's Council), which had been set up by the Dutch. The Japanese appointed 59 members, representing the major groups in Java and Madura. The membership included eight Japanese, including one of the vice-chairmen. Among the members were:

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