The Expansion of Imperial Japan's Sugar Industry

Abstract After the establishment of Manchukuo (1932–45), Japan launched a second wave of sugar industry expansion in Northeast China. The South Manchuria Railway Company Economic Research Association proposed a sugar policy aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in sugar production, and this policy was approved and implemented by the Japanese Kwantung Army. Under this policy, increasing sugar beet production became a priority, leading to the formulation of the Sugar Beet Intensification Plan, which was later incorporated into the Five-Year Plan for Industrial Development in Manchuria. To implement the plan, the Japanese and Manchukuo authorities forced farmers to grow sugar beets under compulsory quotas while also offering guidance, subsidies, and rewards to boost their enthusiasm. As a result, the area under sugar beet cultivation expanded significantly during the Manchukuo period. However, statistical records indicate a concurrent decline in yield per unit area. In essence, the sugar beet industry under Manchukuo symbolized Japan's systematic exploitation of Northeast China's agricultural resources through state-controlled economic planning and coercive policies.