Analysis Of Manchurian Railway Internal Struggle Incident And Japanese Political Circumstances

In1914, because of disagreement on the topic of joint operation of threeJapanese state-owned railways which include Shanyang Railway, Korean Railway,Manchuria Railway and the issue of internal reform within Manchuria Railwaysystem, there occurred a power struggle event between the senior leaders of thethird-generation president Nomura Ryutaro, vice president Ito Daihachi and directorInuzuka Shintaro. This event is called “Manchurian Railway Internal StruggleIncident” in history. With the occurrence of this event, all forces in Japan whichrepresented by domestic political parties, warlords, plutocrats and bureaucrats startedto fight over related interests and benefits on Manchurian Railway.With the expansion of political struggle, this event was inevitably evolved into amajor political issue and even shaken Japanese mainland policy which was formulatedafter the Russo-Japanese War and focused consistently on the centrality andimportance of Manchuria Railway. Therefore, taking this famous event as a startingpoint, the article firstly analyses the background and reasons of the event. Secondly,clarify the process during event and subsequent political struggles over the interestsand benefits on South Manchuria Railway. And finally, trying to make a profoundanalysis on the influences to South Manchuria Railway and Japanese mainland policyproduce by the event.The reasons, process and outcome of “Manchurian Railway Internal StruggleIncident” constitute the basic framework of this paper which is divided into threesections and five chapters.The first section is consisted of Chapter I and II, focusing on the analysis ofreasons of the event.After the Russo-Japanese War, the disagreements on the policy to northeast ofChina between Japanese political parties, warlords and bureaucrats impelled GotoShinpei, who advocated the policy of “Embellished Armed Forces”, become the firstpresident of The South Manchuria Railway Co., Ltd. The Manchuria Railway wastrapped in the triarchy since its foundation. To solve this problem, on one hand, GotoShinpei actively constructed the “Goto forces” in the interior of the ManchuriaRailway; On the other hand, he edged himself into the center stage of Japan politicalcircle and made a further effort joining the second and third Katsura Cabinet. In1913, the corruption of the “Kei-En System” and the time slot since GotoShinpei’s shimotsuke offered an opportunity for Japan political circle to pretend to thebenefits of Manchuria Railway. The combination of compose “Korea andManchuria Integration”, which was advocated by NiShiharaKamezo、TerauchiMasaki，and Hara Kei’s project of eroding Manchuria Railway, which was based on“Parties’ Hunting Thinking”, had led to cabinet member Yamamoto Kenheieiliquidate the leadership of Manchuria Railway under the guidance of Rikken Seiyukaifor the first time in the year of1913.The second section is consisted of ChapterⅢandⅣ, focusing on the process anddetails of the event.After the personnel replacement which was carried out by Yamamoto Kenheiei,Hara Kei dispatched the cadre of Rikken Seiyukai represented by Ito Dahachi to uniteJapan railroad official Nomura Ryutaro to meditate to control Manchuria Railway.However, this plan was fiercely resisted by internal forces in Manchuria Railwayunder the leadership of director Inuzuka Shintaro. As a result, the event overspreadand finally became a major political affair in Japan.The third section is consisted of ChapterⅤ, trying to analyze the disposal resultby Okuma Shigenobu and influences to Manchuria Railway and Japanese MainlandPolicy.In1914, cabinet member Yamamoto Kenheiei fell from power due to the“Siemens Event”. Via “Manchurian Railway Internal Struggle Incident”, OkumaShigenobu eliminated Rikken Seiyukai and Goto Shinpei’s forces. The result is thatthe president and vice president resigned, director Inuzuka Shintaro was deposed. Andthen, the spokesperson of warlord forces Nakamura Yujiro succeeded to the fourthgeneration of president of The South Manchuria Railway Co., Ltd. Since then,Manchuria Railway had thoroughly descended to the victim of Japanese politicalstruggle.