Treaties, Laws and Speeches

A Report concerning Collective Emigration to Manchoukuo

Department of Overseas Affairs

WHAT has been termed the experimental emigration to Manchoukuo under the supervision of the Department of Overseas Affairs, which was undertaken in 1932 with an initial group of 500 emigrants, completed its programme of sending out 1,800 men in four consecutive years, with not only satisfactory but encouraging results. Thereupon, 1,000 families were sent out the following year to colonize in a few selected places in the new State on a permanent basis. Further investigation and study of the matter has developed into the enlarged programme, now in operation, of sending out 1,000,000 families in 20 years.¹

The present report relates only to the second group of the experimental emigration which colonized Hunanying in Sanchiang Province. This group can, however, be taken as giving a representative account of the development of similar groups and settlements, and as such can tell something of the future of Japanese emigration to the Continent.

Details of the Colonization

The settlement, which is called Chiburi Go,² is situated to the east of Harbin and in the centre of Sanchiang Province. Blessed with good climate, fertile land and excellent supply of water, it is well qualified in every respect for farming and stock-raising. The only inconvenience being felt at present is the shortage of wood for fuel. Even this, however, can be eliminated by improving transportation facilities between the settlement and a virgin forest about 25 miles away. There are also rich coal and alluvial gold resources in the neighbourhood.

The group settled there in July, 1933. With the first spring in 1934, they experienced raids conducted by 4,000 bandits. After

they overcame this first, deadly trial by their united will and armed strength, nothing serious stood in the way of their colonization. Thus, in 1935 they were able to welcome their families to new homes; in 1936 they were confident of success of their farms which by then had become well managed and economically established enterprises; and today they are prosperous in their material as well as family life.

The Go covers an area of approximately 30,000 acres; about half of this area is cultivated and about half of the uncultivated land is arable. The area now contains 17 villages. When the group first settled there, there were only a few insignificant Manchoukuoan communities with a total population of not more than several hundred. From the third year of the Japanese colonization onward, however, the population of native communities began steadily to increase, particularly with the progress of construction and commercial activities and the opening of the railway service, totalling at present more than 10,000. All public institutions of the Go are situated in and around the town of Hunanyin; and its villages, which are grouped according to native places of the emigrants, are constructed generally in the central parts of their lands. As for Manchoukuoan communities, they are dotted over the whole Go, lying between Japanese villages. The national highway runs through the centre of the Go and roads between villages are well constructed so that police and emergency cars can be efficiently utilized in conjunction with the police telephone. The railway station³ and Japanese military and Manchoukuoan post offices make connections with the outside world complete, while the newly opened electric light service brightens the homes and hearts of the settlers. The number of the original group was 490, of which many left the settlement on account of sickness and for other reasons while others died of sickness and in action against bandits, thus causing a considerable decrease in the original number. On the other hand, many joined the group because of certain relationships with the original members. The present number of houses is 346 with a total population of 1,205. The following table will give readers some idea of their community life.

JAPANESE POPULATION OF CHIBURI GO CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THEIR VILLAGES AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE ORIGINAL GROUP

Farm Products

Principal farm products of the Go are soya beans, wheat, kaoliang, paddy-field rice and millet; in their cultivation the native method is used as a basis, which method, however, is supplemented by the use of improved seeds and implements. Vegetables also form one of the important items of its farm products, and it is expected that an area covering some 700 acres will be used for their cultivation in 1938. Besides these products, the cultivation of yellow tobacco has been successful. In the following table, the amounts of the principal products are given according to the years:

Figures represent Koku, a Japanese measure of capacity, equal to 4.9629 bushels.

Selling prices per koku, excluding those of paddy-field rice, are shown in the following table, also according to years:

Figures represent yen in Japanese currency. Marked variations in prices are due to the improvement of transportation facilities on account of the opening of the railway service and to general prosperity.

Stock-Raising

Besides raising horses and cattle which form indispensable live-stock for farming in Manchuria, pigs are raised as an easy and profitable side-line and sheep for wool for marketing purposes. Expert guidance by leaders and provision of a ranch of 7,000 acres are ensuring the increase and improvement of live-stock. Thus, a plan for increasing sheep, from the present 1,720 head to 10,000 head has been successfully inaugurated. The following table shows the results of activities in stock-raising up to the present:

\* Number of swarms

Cooperative Undertakings

Cooperative undertakings along lines of processing, storage, consumption, banking, mutual aid, transportation, iron works, and building and engineering, most of which have recently been reorganized under a single cooperative society, are operating efficiently for the common interest of the emigrant group and their families. The reorganized society, which is of the limited liability, is capitalized at 250,000 yen and has the five departments of credit, consumption, processing, storage and sheep-farming. The following is a summary of its business report for 1937.

1. Credit Department The total volume of business for the year amounted to 320,000 yen, with a net profit of 4,000 yen. 2. Processing Department The total volume of business amounted to 205,000 yen, with a net profit of 25,000 yen. Among goods processed, flour, cleaned rice, bean paste and soy were used by the members, and kaoliang wine and bean oil were placed on the market. 3. Storage Department During the year, 2,800 koku of soya beans, 400 koku of wheat, 200 koku of kaoliang and 200 koku of oats were handled, with a net profit of 200 yen. 4. Consumption Department Total volume of business was 95,000 yen, with a net profit of 5,300 yen. The Department keeps on hand 30,000 yen worth of stock. 5. Sheep-farming Department The Department was in possession of 1,720 head of sheep The plan for increasing sheep to 10,000 head within the period of 10 years has been framed with a view to gaining the leading position in all Manchoukuo in the selling of wool and the manufacturing of homespun.

Other cooperative undertakings such as iron works, brick works, mutual aid, building and engineering have still been operated as separate, independent but coordinated organizations with similar efficiency and success.

Administrative, educational, religious and medical institutions of the Go have also been conducted with characteristic Japanese thoroughness, thus contributing to the consolidation and prosperity not only of the Japanese but of the Manchoukuoan community.

¹ See, for reference, an article entitled "Emigration of Japanese Youth to the Continent" which appeared in the June (No. 12) number of Tokyo Gazette.

² Originally an administrative division in ancient China and feudal Japan which was generally smaller than a county and larger than a village.

³ A station on the line connecting Seishin (Korea) and Chiamussu, Sanchiang Province, Manchoukuo.