The dissolution of the Dutch East India Company and the transformation of the Deshima factory: A study of historical documents concerning the relationship between Japan and the Netherlands

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25284113
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Historical studies in general
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: MATSUI Yoko 東京大学, 史料編纂所, 教授 (00181686)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松方 冬子 東京大学, 史料編纂所, 准教授 (80251479) ; 横山 伊徳 東京大学, 史料編纂所, 教授 (90143536)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KIMURA Naoki 長崎大学, 多文化社会学部, 教授 (40323662) ; ISHIDA Chihiro 鶴見大学, 文学部, 教授 (00192485)
• Research Collaborator: NISHIZAWA Mihoko ; YADA Junko ; YOSHIMURA Masami ; ASO Ayumi ; HASHIMOTO Shingo ; TANAKA-VAN DALEN Isbel ; HESSELINK Reinier, H.
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 史料学 / 日蘭関係史料 / 東インド会社 / 出島商館 / オランダ貿易会社 / 中立国傭船 / 王立珍品陳列室

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have studied the structure of the documents concerning the relationship between Japan and the Netherlands, focusing on the change around the time of the dissolution of the Dutch East India Company (1799). We mainly examined the source materials as follows:
1) We made transcriptions of the Verslagen (the annual reports of the Deshima factory beginning in the 19th century) from 1834 to 1842, to grasp the outline of the yearly trade. 2) We made lists of the correspondence between the chief factor and the Japanese authorities. 3) We photographed the documents of the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij concerning Japan and made a detailed catalogue. We transcribed the annual business reports of the Deshima Agentschap (branch office), and revealed the process of the trade in white wax. 4) We photographed the documents, held in the Peabody Essex Museum, concerning the period of chartering neutral vessels during the time of the Napoleonic war, and transcribed one of the ship’s journals.

Free Research Field

人文学