Japanese commercial activities in French Indochina from the late 19th century to 1945

Abstract

From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, Japan promoted trade and investment in Southeast Asia, including French Indochina. As a subregion with an abundance of natural resources and potential consumption market, Indochina became an attractive destination for Japanese merchants and companies. The Japanese merchants moved into French Indochina from the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century together with the great surge of Japanese immigration to Southeast Asian countries since the end of the Meiji period. In the first phase, the number of Japanese merchants in Indochina was relatively small and mainly engaged in importing and exporting activities or grocery trading. In addition to merchants, Japanese economic zaibatsu and companies started to open representative offices or branches in Indochina such as Mitsui Bussan, Mitsubishi, Menka which focused on purchasing rice and coal. However, from the early 20th century to the late 1930s, commercial activities of Japanese merchants and companies in Indochina were restricted due to various reasons. From the late 1930s to the 1940s, along with Japanese commercial policy towards Southeast Asia, especially the entry of Japanese military into Indochina, the Japanese merchants and companies expanded their commercial activities in this region, through which the great impacts were put upon foreign trade activities in Indochina as well as the commercial relationship between Japan and Indochina.