日印會商과 在華紡

Indo-Japanese negotiation and Japanese cotton tard manufacturers in China

This study is to explain the backgrounds and nature of the Indo-Japanese Negotiation(日印會商) in the 1930s. Japan and India had maintained a close trade relationship as Japan’s cotton weaving industry imported a large amount of Indian cotton. However, that relationship began to unravel in the early 1930s. As China’s cotton weaving industry gained ground. Japan’s export of cotton yards to China decreased. As a result, Japan’s import of cotton from India greatly decreased. In response to deepening economic difficulties. India abrogated the existing Indo-Japanese Trade Convention as a way to urge Japan to increase importation of India cotton. Japan’s responses to Indian action were twofold. The Japanese government regarded the issue a political matter and responded immediately and sought a renegotiation with India. Japan’s cotton weaving industry was different. It maintained an adamant posture and began a boycott against Indian cotton and aimed to raise the price of cotton yard through production reduction. However, the boycott met an unexpected result as Japanese cotton yard manufactures in China refused to participate and increased export to Japan. In the end, the boycott failed and the Indo-Japanese Negotiation came to an agreement. However, this episode left a deep imprint in Japan’s cotton weaving industry as it realized the importance of maintaining monopoly on the market and raw materials. In particular, both Japan’s cotton weaving industry and Japanese cotton yard manufacturers in China deeply realized the importance of China. Consequently, Japan’s continental policy had to reflect the economic interest of the industry.