A Political and Diplomatic History of Colonial and Occupied Territory Banks: Re-examining the Process of Imperial Expansion through Multi-Archive Research

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13166
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Maeda Ryosuke 北海道大学, 法学研究科, 准教授 (00735748)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 帝国史 / 国際金融 / 日本政治外交史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to reexamine Japan's expansionist policies during the interwar period from the perspective of colonial and occupied territory banks, such as the Bank of Chosen and the Central Bank of Manchou, thereby shedding new light on the mechanisms of imperial expansion understood from civil-military relations. Based on this outlook, the research has yielded the following insights.
First, I discovered the significance of internationalists affiliated with Takahashi Korekiyo within the Central Bank of Manchou. Second, I elucidated notable policy orientation differences between the Tianjin Army and the Kwantung Army regarding the evaluation of international finance, a factor I had initially excluded from consideration. Third, I conducted further research into the Yokohama Specie Bank using primary sources, which revealed the necessity of delving deeper into its role in continental policy within its global strategy, an aspect I had initially overlooked as well.

Free Research Field

日本近現代史、日本政治外交史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果の学術的意義は第一に、植民地／占領地銀行および軍という（ごく一部の経済史研究を除いて）同一地平で議論されなかったファクターについて、国内外の史料を広く渉猟しつつ政治外交史として総合する見取り図を示したことにある。第二に、満州事変後の日本について、統制主体（シビリアンコントロール）論と異なる政治経済学的な接近を提起した方法上の貢献も挙げうる。第三に、1930年代の帝国拡大（拡散）のメカニズムの再構成を通じて、帝国間の比較研究の事例を提供した。
こうした学際性と国際性をもつ本研究成果は、特殊日本的な説明ではない普遍的な枠組みで日本の政治外交の崩壊過程を説明し直せる社会的意義を有するだろう。