open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/94481

The Formation Process of the Historical Image of Modern Karafuto and the Historical Book Compilation Project : From the Early Period of Japanese Possession to the 1920s

日本語

2025-03-25

Center for Northern Humanities, Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences, Hokkaido University

Journal of the Center for Northern Humanities

18

43-65

This article focuses on historical research in Karafuto from the time of its possession to the 1920s, and examines the historical picture from the Karafuto Agency's History of Karafuto Project and the author's personal activities. Karafuto, south of 50°N, was incorporated into Japanese territory in 1905 as recovered territory. Historical research on Karafuto during this period was to reconstruct the history that was interrupted during the period of Russian imperial territory (1875-1905) by honoring the activities of explorers in modern times. Investigations by the Karafuto Agency (an administrative agency) immediately after the possession of the territory confirmed the existence of an ancient document, the Yaenkoroainu Document (ヤエンコロアイヌ文書, カラフトナヨロ惣乙名文書), which had been handed down to the Karafuto Ainu. The ancient document was given to the Karafuto Ainu by a Qing Dynasty official in 1775, indicating their submission to the Qing Dynasty. After deciphering this document, Ogawa Unpei (小川運平) envisioned a history of Karafuto as a relay between the Japanese archipelago and the continent. Ogawa's research was supported by the Karafuto Agency of the time, as it would set a precedent for the planned trade with the continent. In order to organize the early history of the territory, the Karafuto Agency appoints Nakanoin Tomiari (中院富有) to compile the history of the early years of the territory. He compiles the modern sources and then adds research on ancient history. He acknowledged the Chinese dynasty's domination of Karafuto in the Middle Ages and attempted to clarify the history of Japanese rule over Karafuto in ancient times. Kato Fusazo (加藤房蔵) also planned to compile a history book covering the history of Japan, the Russian Empire, and the indigenous peoples of the continent and Karafuto. To this end, Kato's friend Torii Ryuzo (鳥居龍蔵) was assigned to survey the indigenous peoples in Karafuto. Although the plan for this history book was cancelled, this experience influenced Kato's subsequent writing activities. The importance of Karafuto in Japanese history as “recovered territory” and in the history of East Asia, where many peoples interacted and nations were in conflict, led researchers to develop various historical images. And the occupation of northern Karafuto by Japanese forces during the Siberian Invasion spurred this concept. On the other hand, the history of Japanese Karafuto had been accumulated since its possession due to the expansion of society by Japanese immigrants. For the inhabitants, the history of Karafuto was the history of their homeland, where they practiced pioneering and where their families lived. The formation of a history of post-modern Karafuto by emigrants has eliminated the need to look back to ancient times for the origins of the possession of the territory.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1882-773X

AA12313676