Research On Modern Northeast China's Japanese Chamber Of Commerce

The Japan Chamber of Commerce has a long history,the earliest can be traced back to the medieval European guild system.The traditional Chamber of Commerce is a non-governmental economic organization spontaneously established by local businessmen for the purpose of expressing their demands and safeguarding the common interests of the members.After the Russo-Japanese War,the Japan Chamber of Commerce in Northeast China was first established in Mukden,Dalian and other big cities,and then gradually penetrated into the hinterland of Northeast China.As an economic organization,the Japan Chamber of Commerce in Northeast China not only existed to protect the interests of Japanese industry and commerce,but also was the result of Japan's invasion of China and capital expansion.Meanwhile,the Japan Chamber of Commerce in Northeast China is an industrial and commercial management organization established under the guidance and financial support of the Japanese government,which plays an important role in assisting the Japanese government to maintain the ruling order,expand the business rights and economic expansion of Japan in the northeast China.Therefore,there are some differences between the Japan Chamber of Commerce in Northeast China and the traditional Chamber of Commerce in Europe and the United States.This thesis takes the modern northeast Japan chambers of commerce for the research object,based primarily on Japan Chamber of Commerce publications in the northeast China,such as Monthly Report and Transaction Report,as well as the Asian history data center collection of related files,emphatically analyzed the establishment of modern Japan Chamber of Commerce in northeast China and its development,management and operation,the principal activities and intelligence survey of the Chamber of Commerce,etc.The thesis also tries to clarify the nature of Japan Chamber of Commerce in the northeast region,especially the location and wartime performance of Japan Chamber of Commerce in the modern period of Japan's expansion in the northeast.The establishment of Japan Chamber of Commerce centers in modern Northeast China is closely related to the opening of commercial ports in modern Northeast China,the expansion and penetration of Japanese forces in Northeast China and the formation of Japanese society in Northeast China.After the Russo-Japanese War,with the continuous expansion of Japan's sphere of influence in the northeast,Japan began to set up chamber of commerce offices in the northeast China.The establishment and development of modern Japan Chamber of Commerce in Northeast China was in step with Japan's invasion and expansion in Northeast China.All the previous Japanese aggression and expansion in Northeast China were important periods for the development of Chamber of Commerce.By the time the Anti-Japanese War broke out in 1937,the total number of Japan Chambers of Commerce in Northeast China had reached 15.Compared with the establishment of Japan Chambers of Commerce in Shanhaiguan District of China,the establishment of Japan Chambers of Commerce in Northeast China is earlier and more concentrated.A close network was also established among the various chambers of commerce,and the Federation of Chamber of Commerce Institutes was set up and gradually became the most important economic organization for the management and operation of Japanese industry and commerce in the Northeast China.Due to the different policies of invasion and operation of modern Japanese rulers in northeast China,the Japan chamber of commerce in northeast China did not have the right of compulsory membership and collection of funds in law,and the chamber of commerce was often faced with the dilemma of insufficient members and shortage of funds in operation at the beginning.After World War I,the Japanese government solved the problem of legal basis of chamber of commerce by reforming chamber of commerce and providing subsidies for chambers of commerce.From the perspective of management and operation of modern Japan chamber of commerce,as an economic organization,Japan chamber of commerce has perfect business norms,decision bodies,organizational forms,member structures,etc.In the meantime,the rules and regulations of the Japan Chamber of Commerce,the sources of grants and the composition of its members are in close contact with Japan's external administrative offices,with the characteristics of strong dependence on the government,and its decisions and actions are supervised and guided by the Japanese government.The Consulate General of Japan is in fact the leading organ of the Chamber of Commerce,and the Chamber of Commerce truly representing the interests of the regional businessmen is very limited,and the "folk nature" of the Japan Chamber of Commerce in the Northeast China is not pure.From the activities of Japan chambers of commerce in modern Northeast China,the establishment of a large number of chambers of commerce played a certain positive role in mediating Japanese industrial and commercial trade disputes and safeguarding the interests of Japanese businessmen.However,as a comprehensive economic organization,the activity scope of the chamber of commerce is far beyond the scope of the economic field.At a time when the pace of Japan's expansion in the northeast China has been stymied and the business of Japanese industry and commerce is in trouble,the Northeast Japan Chamber of Commerce continues to politicize economic issues.Through active petition campaign to Japanese Prime Minister,Minister of Foreign Affairs,Japanese Consuls,Kwantung Army chiefs and other political leaders,the Japan Chamber of Commerce urged the Japanese government to solve the economic problems of Japanese businessmen in the northeast China by political,diplomatic and even military means.Especially before and after the September 18 Incident,the Japan chamber of commerce in the northeast region took an active part in the process of Japan's aggression to the northeast China.After the establishment of the puppet Manchukuo,the Japan chamber of commerce in the northeast region immediately began to revitalize the "Japanese-Manchukuo" economy,to safeguard the rights and interests of Japan in the northeast region after the war,and to do its best to serve Japan's aggression.The Northeast Regional Japan Chamber of Commerce is also the Japanese intelligence investigation organization in northeast China,and its investigation activities constitute an important link in the Japanese intelligence network system.From the Russo-Japanese War to the Sino-Japanese War,more than 30 years,the Japan chamber of commerce in the Northeast region was the important information provider and direct participant of Japan's economic aggression policy to China.The chamber of commerce institute has actively carried out intelligence investigation on China and compiled a large number of economic information materials.These first-hand survey data are not only available to Japanese industrial and commercial enterprises free of charge or at low prices,but also can provide them with trade information and adjust trade and production.These data enabled Japanese businessmen and enterprises to gain a favorable position in the trade expansion,and also transmitted back to Japan through various channels as economic information,which directly or indirectly provided information for the Japanese government to make the policy of economic expansion and aggression against China.In general,as an economic organization to communicate between the government and the industry and commerce,the chamber of commerce played an important role in safeguarding the common interests of the Japanese industry and commerce in the northeast China of modern times,promoting the development of industry and commerce,and stabilizing the market order.However,as the product of Japan's invasion of China and capital expansion,the modern Japan chamber of commerce in the northeast region was set up under the guidance and funding of the Japanese government,with the characteristics of strong dependence on the Japanese government and strong exclusivity and aggressiveness.Its actual activities have always been carried out under Japan's policy towards China,showing that it actively participates in Japan's aggressive policy towards Northeast China and serves the national interests of Japan.During the September 18 Incident,the Japan chamber of commerce in Northeast China merged with the Japanese militarism and became an important civilian force to participate in and cooperate with the Kwantung Army.Finally,under the call of Japan's so-called "Japan-Manchuria economic tightening ",the Japan Chamber of Commerce in the Northeast Region was reorganized into an administrative organization that controlled under the administration of the puppet Manchukuo.