The Economic History of the Japanese Empire from the Perspective of the North Machurian Region

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01781
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07070:Economic history-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Takeuchi Yusuke 東京都立大学, 経営学研究科, 准教授 (30711238)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 兒玉 州平 山口大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (30644405) ; 李 海訓 東京経済大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (70757278)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 北満 / 満洲国 / 満洲国有鉄道 / 畑作農業 / 亜麻 / 軍需 / 旭硝子 / 化学工業原料

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study elucidates the role of the North Manchurian economy in Manchukuo and the Japanese Empire from the perspectives of railroads, agriculture, and commerce. (1) The railroads in the North Manchurian region were more military in nature than other colonial railroads within the Japanese empire, but on the other hand, they also served to supply primary products (food) to the South Manchurian region. (2) Agriculture in the North Manchuria region maintained traditional farming methods during the Manchukuo period, and at the same time, cultivated "new crops (flax)" in response to the Japanese Empire's agricultural policy based on war demands. (3) Until the 1920s, it was difficult to supply the Japanese market with Manchurian soybean meal of stable quality, but with the establishment of Manchukuo, control extended to the North Manchuria region, which encouraged a restructuring of the domestic soybean meal transaction in Machukuo to attempt to overcome its limitations.

Free Research Field

アジア経済史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

満洲経済史に関する先行研究は、南満洲地域を主に研究対象としており、1932年の満洲国建国によって日本帝国に編入された北満地域が満洲国および日本帝国にもつ役割について明示的に分析してこなかった。本研究は、鉄道、農業、商業の各分野における北満の特徴を分析することで、南満洲とは異なる独自の役割の一端を解明する手がかりを得た。