The Japanese shopkeepers in Netherland East Indie under the Great Depression --the case study of KATO Chojiro in Semarang-- (Special Issue: Various Aspects of Asian Economic History)

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Other Title
  • オランダ領東インドにおける日本人小売商と世界恐慌 --スマランの加藤長次郎を事例として-- (小特集 アジア経済史の諸相)
  • オランダ領東インドにおける日本人小売商と世界恐慌 : スマランの加藤長次郎を事例として
  • オランダリョウ ヒガシインド ニ オケル ニホンジン コウリショウ ト セカイ キョウコウ : スマラン ノ カトウチョウ ジロウ オ ジレイ ト シテ

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Abstract

This article aims to examine how the Japanese shopkeepers in Java could overcome the impact of Great Depression in the 1930s, focusing on the case of KATO Chojiro in Semarang, the coastal city in Java. The dreadfull economic damage, especially the collapse of export-oriented sugar industry, forced every inhabitant in the Dutch-controlled colonial society to reduce their cost of living. It enabled only the Japanese to succeed in their business in accordance with the increased demand for cheap commodities from Japan, although this trend was only the short-term phenomenon. Under this unfavorable circumstance, Kato also experienced such decline of his sale that he started to deal with the daily necessities from Japan in 1932. For this purpose, he came to make use of his personal connection with the counterparts of Japanese as well as of other ethnic groups, including the European. The former was the supplier of inexpensive goods, while the latter informed him of the detailed information regarding customers. As a result, his shop could catch up with the preference of customers, preparing for every sort of commodity.

Journal

  • 人文學報

    人文學報 110 215-251, 2017-07-31

    THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES, KYOTO UNIVERSITY

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