The Regional Foundations of Japan’s Industrial Revolution: The First Opening of Moji Port to Foreign Commerce (1885-1886)
An apparent vacuum exists in the economic history of Japan between the difficult years of the “Matsukata deflation” (1881–1884) and the “enterprise boom” (1887–1889) considered to mark the beginning of industrialisation. This widely held view is seemingly confirmed by the example of Moji port in nor...
保存先:
| 出版年: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/cjs, |
|---|---|
| 第一著者: | |
| フォーマット: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| 言語: | Anglais |
| 出版事項: |
Cipango - French Journal of Japanese Studies
2023
|
| 主題: | |
| オンライン･アクセス: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| 要約: | An apparent vacuum exists in the economic history of Japan between the difficult years of the “Matsukata deflation” (1881–1884) and the “enterprise boom” (1887–1889) considered to mark the beginning of industrialisation. This widely held view is seemingly confirmed by the example of Moji port in northern Kyūshū, reputedly transformed from a “desolate” place into the industrial heart of Northeast Asia thanks to a government decree in 1889 opening it up to foreign trade. This paper shows that, contrary to popular perception, 1885 and 1886 were not, in fact, empty years but saw the first opening of Moji’s port to international exports thanks to a transregional initiative associating Osaka merchant houses and Chikuhō mine owners. By analysing the structure and strategy of this transregional enterprise, as well as the government’s response to its request to hire foreign vessels and the evolution of domestic and international markets, we can see that the failure of international coal exports from Moji stemmed mainly from the refusal of foreign minister Inoue Kaoru to allow the company to use international ships. An investigation into Inoue’s motives and his well-known connections with the Mitsui Group reveals that while the Japanese Industrial Revolution was indeed triggered by regional forces, these were quickly stifled by the actions of certain government figures linked with the emerging business conglomerates (zaibatsu). |
|---|