Japan’s Investigation And Plundering Of Mineral Resource In Northeast China (1905-1931)

Mineral resources are an important source of material for the development of a nation. The reserves and utilization of coal, iron, gold, oil and other resources could determine a country’s flourishing and decline. China has vast territory, abundant resources and is rich in mineral resources, thus madding China the target of peeking and plundering by Japan, a neighboring country short of natural resource. After First Sino-Japanese War (1894), especially Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japanese invaded China gradually. Take this as an opportunity, the Japanese government began to investigate and plunder mineral resource extensively in China, especially in Northeast China. This article focus on demonstrating Japan’s investigation and plundering of mineral resource in Northeast China during Russo-Japanese War in 1905 and 918 Incident in 1931.This paper is divided into five parts. The first part is named "The invasion of Japanese forces in Northeast China and investigation of mineral resources". After Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japanese force intruded into Northeast China. Japanese government stole all rights and interests from tsarist Russia through "The Treaty of Portsmouth". Take this as a base, Japanese government established South Manchuria Railway Company (short for SMR) to implement "management of Manchuria" policy and expend their sphere of influence. In order to plunder resources in Northeast China especially mineral resource, an investigation agency was set up in South Manchuria Railway Company specially to investigate mineral resources in Northeast China in detail. Investigation agency provided much reliable information for their plundering. The second part is named "Japan’s plundering of coal resource in Northeast China". Japanese obtained amounts of information about coal resource in northeastern provinces through investigation agency of South Manchuria Railway Company’s full investigation, then, occupied coal resource in Northeast China in a complicated process. Japan not only acquired mining company in Northeast China by force, but also occupied mineral rights of Northeast China through Sino-Japanese joint ventures. Coal resource they plundered provided great energy and financial support for management of South Manchuria Railway Company even the development within Japan. The coal they robbed was used as need, some was for in-field use, and some was sold to inside Shanhaiguan Pass and overseas for money to develop other ventures. The third part is named "Japan’s plundering of iron resource in Northeast China". Japanese stole much information about iron resource in Northeastern China through investigation report of South Manchuria Railway Company and plundered iron resource in Northeast China through two so-called Sino-Japanese joint ventures "Anshan Zhenzing Iron Ore Company Unlimited" and "Benxihu Coal & Steel Company" controlled by SMR. Millions of tons of iron ore in Northeast China were occupied by Japanese, before 918 Incident in 1931. All these iron ore were shipped to Yawata Steel Works in Japan to produce weapons and military supplies, laid the groundwork for starting an aggressive war. The forth part is named "Japan’s plundering of other mineral resource in Northeast China". The reserves of other mineral resource, like gold, cooper, limestone, lead, talcum mine are abundant in Northeast China, and were peeked by Japan for a long time. Based on rubbing data, Japan’s plundering of these ore resources is quiet astonishing. Moreover, these ore resource created huge profit for Japan government. The fifth part is named "Japan’s plundering of mineral resource and its impact". The amount of mineral resource Japan plundered in Northeast China is quiet huge, besides, destructive mining methods they used resulted in a serious waste of non-renewable resources. During the plundering, Japanese brutalized Chinese miners to rub ore resource madly. Chinese miners not only had much lower salary than Japanese miners, but also had to bear inhuman treatment. For Japan, through plundering mineral resource, not only made the South Manchuria Rail way company growth and consolidation, but also alleviated the situation of energy shortage within Japan. Moreover, profit made from mineral resource plundered from Northeast China accelerated the development of a number of undertakings within Japan.This article, based on a lot of historical archives, applying historical method, chart analysis, statistical method, made a comprehensive and systematic demonstration of Japan’s plundering of mineral resource in Northeast China, disclosing Japanese imperialist’s crime of aggression against our country, refuting fallacy of right-wing and "meritorious invasion" theory of reactionary scholar, in order to inspire and enlighten this generation, educate the future generation, clarify historical facts and engrave history in our mind.