The Japanese Invasion of Davao (Filipino: "Paglusob ng mga Hapones sa Davao, Jolo at Arkipelago ng Sulu", Cebuano: "Pagsulong sa Hapon sa Davao, Jolo ug Kapuloan sa Sulu") and on Jolo in the Sulu Archipelago on 19 December 1941 was one in a series of advance landings made by Imperial Japanese forces as first step in their invasion of the Philippines. The purpose was to cut off the possibility of reinforcements reaching Luzon from the south and to complete the encirclement of American forces there, with the secondary purpose of establishing a base from which the IJA 16th Army could launch an invasion of British North Borneo and the Netherlands Indies . The first invasion of the Philippines was at Batan Island on 8 December 1941. This was followed by Vigan, Aparri, Legaspi, Davao, and Jolo over the next few days