As Europeans (Dutch) we were considered by the Japanese as enemies and adult men were taken prisoner to be sent to Japan as slave labor. Transportation was by japanese merchant ship which was targeted by US subs. The Dutch living on Java were members of the ABCD (American, British, Chinese, Dutch) countries and considered Allies against the Japanese and all eligible for slave labor in Japan.
My dad was Navy in Borneo, after Pearl the U.S. told them “Japan started hostilities; govern yourselves accordingly.”