Studies of Reclamation Settlements in Modern Japan

Abstract

1. The PurposeThe purpose of this study is to review past scholarly studies on modern reclamation settlements in Japan. After providing readers with a survey of past studies on the subject, the author offers some pertinent suggestions regarding the direction of future study of reclamation settlements.Modern reclamation settlements are defined as villages on fields newly developed in Japan and its former colonies (Taiwan, Korea, Manchuria and Micronesia) from the early Meiji Era to World War II. Because most of the settlements cannot be grasped as administrative units, the author will treat them as regional communities founded by new settlers, focusing on personal perceptions and thought of settlers.2. A Survey of Past StudiesPast studies are divided into five categories in terms of objectives and viewpoints. (1) studies of colonial policy, (2) studies of landscape and economic geography, (3) studies of socio-economic history, (4) studies of social structure, and (5) studies of frontier spirit and culture.(1) Studies of colonial policy:The Meiji government encouraged reclamation of wild land to assist former samurai who had lost their income on account of the Meiji Restoration. These reclamation projects were undertaken during the last two decades of the nineteenth century. Most of them failed because of the poor condition of land and lack of farming skills. Up until the 1920's, the problems related to reclamation projects within Japan did not arouse interest among Japanese reseachers. Only the local governments, especially in Hokkaido, conducted studies of local history.With the expansion of Japanese overseas colonies since the late nineteenth century. Colonial Geography was established as a discipline in the 1930's. It placed an emphasis on the analysis of colonial policies and issues related to management of plantation agriculture. Scholars in the field of Colonial Geography studied the physical environment of colonial settlements.(2) Studies of landscape and economic geography:Geographical studies of this category can be divided into two branches: settlement pattern and agricultural management. The former includes studies of colonial settlements in Hokkaido and overseas colonies. Military farmer villages (Tondenhei-son) in Hokkaido, with a planned township system, became the main focus of studies in the 1930's. In overseas colonies, collective migration, which was practiced in Hokkaido, was discussed from the viewpoint of settlement plan.Agricutural management studies focus on subjects of land usage, agricultural management, landownership related to physical environment, and location factors. As to studies of the change of landscape and regional divisions with physical environment and agricultural patterns, scholars analyzed the differences in settlement patterns and agricultural management. They also discerned different characteristics of settlements shaped date of settlement origins of settlers.(3) Studies of socio-economic history:Studies of socio-economic history began in the 1930's. The impoverishment of rural settlements, which preceded the great depression and famine in the second half of the 1920's, initiated these studies. As noble families and wealthy merchants accumulated agricultural land in Hokkaido, tenant farming expanded. Scholars limited their discussions to the relationship between problems related to Japanese capitalism and land ownership before World War II. There were few discussions of the reclamation settlement. During the second half of the 1950's and the 1960's, the emphasis of historical studies of Hokkaido shifted from colonial policy to land ownership. Discussions concerning the concept of the marginal region, connected with regionality and history of Hokkaido, were developed.(4) Studies of social structure:Since the 1960's, studies of rural sociology analyzed social structure of reclaimed settlement in Hokkaido.