Empire of Japan and grassland: Inspection of the outflow process of organic substance from eastern Inner Mongolia in early 20th century

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K13125
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Nagai Risa 九州大学, 総合研究博物館, 専門研究員 (60615219)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小都 晶子 摂南大学, 外国語学部, 講師 (00533671)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 環境史 / 生態史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focuses on the inspection of the animal bones trading between Dalian and Kagoshima, as the one of the route of outflow of organic matter from eastern Inner Mongolia in early 20th century. The participants of the study made reports 5 times at academic meetings. Ozu surveyed the documents about hygiene and epidemics of animals in the trade. Nagai conducted field researches 8 times in Kagoshima and Tianjin. From these researches, following result was derived; based on the conventional point of view that movement of phosphorus between northern Chinese grassland and tableland of deposits of volcanic ash in Kagoshima, the animal bones trading between China and Kagoshima flourished in early 20th century because bones trading in Edo period that utilized natural harbors which were made by volcanic activity in Kagoshima, had natural environment of grassland-sea-tableland of volcanic ash, and profited from world wide commercialization of phosphorus in modern period.

Free Research Field

環境史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本科研の学術的意義としては、近代中国北部における急激な草原の減少過程を獣骨貿易＝リン資源流出から再検討する点にあり、その具体的な流出経路の一つとして日露戦争後から始まる大連－鹿児島間の獣骨貿易開始過程を検討した。また「帝国農学」という視点から研究分担者の小都は「満洲」獣疫・畜産衛生資料整理を進め、永井は天津・青島・鹿児島における現地調査と九大農学部資料整理による成果から大連―鹿児島間の獣骨貿易開始経緯を検証した。さらに国内外で6回の研究会を行い、天津・鹿児島における現地調査によって、草原―海―シラス台地といった、自然生態環境を背景とした近代東アジア地域におけるリン流通の形成という新視点を得た。