熱帯産業調査会開催と台湾総督府外事部の設置(<特集>「近代日本の南方関与」 II )

Abstract

Following the end of the First World War, the Japanese economy remained stagnant with a decline in foreign trade and the depression continued. To cope with this economic crisis, the Kiyoura Cabinet in 1924 held the Imperial Economic Conference (Teikoku Keizai Kaigi), which was attended by experts from both government and private sectors. Little resulted from this conference, however, since the Cabinet survived only for three months. In 1926 the South Sea Trade Conference (Nanyo Boeki Kaigi) was convened under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote international trade with the South Seas. In 1934 the Government-General of Taiwan established the Research Committee for Tropical Industries (Nettaisangyo Chosakai) in Taihoku (Taipei) to study such problems as trade between Taiwan and South China as well as the South Seas and the financing of tropical industries. It also decided to establish the Taiwan Colonizing Company (Taiwan Takushoku Kabushiki Gaisha). The Foreign Relations Section (Gaijika) of the Government-General of Taiwan was active in arranging the establishment of the above-mentioned Company which was controlled by Japanese Government. With the outbreak of the Manchurian Incident in 1931 and the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, this Foreign Relations Section grew in importance and it was expanded into the Department of Foreign Relations (Gaijibu) to implement the foreign policy of the government of Japan. This Department played a central role in coordinating such various activities as investment, survey and research, education, cultural exchange, and medical service.