The Transfer of Leading-edge Technology to Japan The Krupp-Renn Process

Akira KUDO

doi:10.5029/jrbh1984.11.3

The Transfer of Leading-edge Technology to Japan

The Krupp-Renn Process

Akira KUDO

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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1995 Volume 11 Pages 3-31

DOI https://doi.org/10.5029/jrbh1984.11.3

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Published: March 15, 1995 Received: - Available on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010 Accepted: - Advance online publication: - Revised: -
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Date of correction: June 28, 2010 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Right : 1Findbuch zum Bestand WA48,Besuchswesen(Essen,1986);in the possession of Historisches Archiv of Fried.Krupp GmbH(hereafter,HA Krupp).For a profile of the Krupps,see Renate Kohne-Lindenlaub,“Krupp”in Neue Deutsche Bibliographie,vol.13,1982.
2“Vierteljahresbericht,”HA Krupp,FAH IV E38.
3For more on Krupp's relations with Japan,see the typed chronology,“KruppJapan.Ausfuhrliche Zusammenstellung vom10.August1983,”HA Krupp.Also see Akira Kudo,“The Tripartite Pact and Synthetic Oil:The Ideal and Reality of Economic and Technical Cooperation between Japan and Germany,”Annals of the Institute of Social Science(University of Tokyo),No.33,1991:88-91.
4Fried.Krupp,Das Krupp-Rennverfahren(Essen,1960),p.14,HA Krupp.
5Akira KudO,“Nachisu taiseika no tekka shihon”[Steel capital under the Nazi regime],in Fashizumu-ki no kokka to shakai3-Nachisu keizai to nyuudiiru[Nations and society under fascism3:The Nazi economy and the New Deal],ed.by Tokyo University Institute of Social Science(University of Tokyo Press,1979),pp.121-32.
6Akira Kudo,I G Farben no tainichi seniyaku-senkanki Nichi-Doku kigyo kankei shi [IG Farben's Japan strategy:A history ofJapan-German business relations during the interwar period],University of Tokyo Press,1992,pp.241-43;and“IG Farben's Japan Strategy:The Case of Synthetic Oil,”Japanese Yearbook on Business History1988,1989.
7A.Kud,“The Tripartite Pact and Synthetic Oil.”
8Friedrich Johannsen,“Das Krupp-Reiinverfahren,”Stahl und Eisen,54,no.38(1934).
9“Nichi-Man ren-ho tokkyo kyaho kumiai to Kawasaki Jukogyo to no aida no'keiyakusho',”dated6February1940,a document in the archives of Mitsubishi Kogyo Semento KK[Mitsubishi Mining Cement].
10“Vierteljahresbericht,”HA Krupp,FAH IV E38.
11For more information on the processes that preceded the construction of plants(from initial negotiations up to the signing of contracts),please see A.Kudo,Nichi-Doku kigyo kankei shi,pp.109-19.
12Showa Steel Works Co.,Ltd,ed.Showa Seikojo nijunen shi[Twenty-year history of Showa Steel Works],1940,p.86.In this respect it differed from Mitsubishi Mining and Kawasaki Shipyard.“There is the possibility that we might be able to use grain as raw material for direct steel-making as a result of the improved quality of the grain and the progress in steel-making technology;also,it is feasible to think of making good use of the special properties of low-temperature steel-making to treat grain in electric kilns and use it as the raw material for special iron ore”(p.86).
13Xie Xue-Shin and Zhan Ke-Liang,eds.,A History Annshan Steel Works(1909-1948),Peking,1984(in Chinese),pp.277and292.The authority on this is Showa Steel Works,ed.,Dai 17-kai eigyo hokokusho [17th business report].
14Johaimsen an Grusonwerk,14.September1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
15MitsubishiMining Cement Co.,Ltd,ed.,Mitsubishi Kogyo shashi[Company history of Mitsubishi Mining],1976,p.341.(Mitsubishi Mining Cement later merged with Mitsubishi Metals,to become Mitsubishi Materials.
16MitsubishiShoji Co.,Ltd,ed.,Ritsugyo boeki roku [Company history of Mitsubishi Shoji],1958,p.209.
17Mitsubishi Mining Cement,op.cit.,p.341.
18Mitsubishi Shoji Co.,op.cit.,p.209.
19Shoichi Yamazaki,“Omoide(II)[Memories],”in Kawasaki Seitetsu Kuji Kojo no omoide[Memories of Kawasaki Steel's Kuji Plant],ed.by Kawatetsu Kuji Association,1987,p.207.
20“Keirekisho[Historical record]”dated3November1949,in the archives of Kawasaki Steel.
21S.Yamazaki,“Omoide,”p.22.
22S.Yamazaki,“Kuji Kojo”[Kuji Plant],Kawasaki Steel archival material.Another employee recalls: “Mr Nishiyama told us,‘Why don’t we do it ourselves,without relying on the Germans?'”:Chulkichi Kaneda,“Kujino Nishiyama san”[Mr Nishiyama of Kuji],in Nishiyama Yataro tsuito shu[In memoiy of Yataro Nishiyama],ed.by Nishiyama Kinen Jigyokai[Nishiyama Memorial Project Association],1967,p.220.
23S.Yamazaki,“Omoide(II),”p.207.
24This information has been garnered from Stahl and Eisen,1965,no.3,P.367.
25“Organization:Personnel Distribution,”Kawasaki Steel archival material.
26Ryoichi Konno,Michi o hiraku-Mori Akira no hito to jigyo[Breaking the trail:Akira Mori,the man and his work],Kodansha Shuppan Service Center,1983,p.38.
27Nippon Yakin Kogyo Co.,Ltd,Nippon Yakin Kogyo rokujunen shi[Sixty years of Nippon Yakin Kogyo],1985,p.42.
28R.Konno,op.cit.,pp.54-55.
29.Nippon Yakin KagyO,op.cit.,p.117.Also see pages40-44,53-54,57,60,67,and69.
30Masatoshi Okochi,ed.,Kaitenro seiko-ho[The rotary kiln steel-making process],Kagakushugi Kogyosha,1941,Introduction,p.3.
31For more on the plan to expand steel production during the Pacific War,see Akira Hara,“Taiheiyo senso-ki no seisan zokyo seisaku”[Policies to increase production during the Pacific War],in Nenpo kindai Nihon kenkyu-9:Senji keizai[Annual report on studies on modern Japan-9:Wartime economy],ed.by Kindai Nihon Kenkyftkai,Yamakawa Publishing Co.,1987,pp.238-44.
32Very little remains of internal documents of Mitsubishi Mining.Seiji Hirose,head of the Chongjin Smeltery,took some important documents with him when he went back to Japan after the war,but later these were also scattered and lost.As a result,I am forced to resort to analysing the position of the recipient of technology by using documents from the deliverer of the technology.
33Johannsen an Grusonwerk,15.September1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
34Voss an Grusonwerk,9.Januar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
35Grusonwerk an Lemke,28.Februar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/7.
36Remag an Grusonwerk,15.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
37Grusonwerk an Mitsubishi Shoji Berlin,31.Dezember1938;2.Januar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
38Lemke an Grusonwerk,2.Februar1939;Grusonwerk an Lemke,28.Februar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/7;Grusonwerk an Mitsubishi Shoji Berlin,30.Januar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/7.It is possible that at this time the Japanese side had the mistaken impression that fitters were engineers,and this is why they wanted only one,not two.As an example of mistaking a fitter for an engineer,see Hiroaki Yamazaki,Nihon kasen sangyo hattatsu-shi ron[The history of the development of Japan's synthetic fiber industry],University of Tokyo Press,1975,pp.62-63,the episode of the“pseudo engineer.”
39Voss an Grusonwerk,14.Dezember1938;Voss an Grusonwerk,21.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
40Voss an Grusonwerk,9.Januar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
41Voss an Grusonwerk,6.Februar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/7.
42Grusonwerk an Mitsubishi Shoji Berlin,9.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6;12.Januar1939,HA Krupp,WA105/7.
43Grusonwerk an Voss,2.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
44Mitsubishi Shoji Berlin an Grusonwerk,13.Dezember1938;Grusonwerk an Mitsubishi Shoji Berlin,21.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
45Remag an Grusonwerk,16.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
46Grusonwerk an Mitsubishi Shoji Berlin,2.Dezember1938;Grusonwerk an Voss,16.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
47Grusonwerk an Voss,10.Dezember1938,HA Krupp,WA105/6.
48Volkel ass Grusonwerk,3.August1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
49MitsubishiMining Cement,Mitsubishi Kiigyii shashi,p.342.The internal document that I have cited here is presumed to be one of the things Seiji Hirose brought back to Japan after the war.
50Mitsubishi Shoji Tokyo an Lemke,18.Juli1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
51Wolkel an Grusonwerk,10.August1939;Volkel an Grusonwerk,17.August1939HA Krupp,WA105/8.
52Lemke an Grusonwerk,27.August1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
53Volkel an Grusonwerk,26.August1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
54Lemke an Grusonwerk,1.September1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
55Telegram,Johannsen und Lemke an Grusonwerk,31.August1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
56Johannsen an Grusonwerk,14.September1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
57Johannsen an Grusonwerk,14.September1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.An internal Mitsubishi document states that“after a discussion chaired by Executive Director Yamashita,it was decided to follow the opinions of Mr Johannsen.”(See Mitsubishi Mining Cement,op.cit.,p.342.)
58Johannsen an Grusonwerk,15.September1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
59Mitsubishi Mining Cement,op.cit.,p.342.
60Johannsen an Grusonwerk,29.November1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.In Mitsubishi Mining Cement,op.cit.,p. 342,however,the date for the firing of No.4Kiln is given as21October.
61Johannsen an Grusonwerk,20.Dezember1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
62Johannsen an Grusonwerk,23./24.November1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
63Johannsen an Grusonwerk,29.November1939,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
64Suzuki an Johannsen,8.und27.Mai1940,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
65Grusonwerk,23.Dezember1940,HA Krupp,WA105/8.
66A.Kudo,IG Farben's Japan Strategy,p.77.
67Fried.Knipp,Des Krupp-Rennverfahren(Essen,1960),p.15; also,Fried.Krupp,Krupp Renn-Process(Essen,n.d.),p.17.
68“Kuji Kojo shi”[The history of Kuji Plant],a manuscript in the Kawasaki Steel archives.
69From the above manuscript and other material found in the Kawasaki Steel archives.
70Nippon Yakin Kogyo,op.cit.,p.420.
71Japanese History of Science Association,ed.,Nihon gijutsu shi daikei dai2Okan:saiko yakin gijutsu[History of Japanese technology,vol.20:Mining and metallurgical technology](Daiichi Hoki Shuppan,1965),chap.10,“Senji taiseika no saiko yakin gijutsu”[Mining and metallurgical technology under the wartime regime],esp.pp.422-27;also,Ken'ichi Iida,Nihon tekko gijutsu-shi ran[On the history of Japan's steel technology](San'ichi Shobo,1973),pp.278-91.
72Senchiro Yonekura,“Tekko”[Iron and Steel],in Sengo Nihon keiei shi[Postwar Japanese business history],ed.by Shin'ichi Yonekawa,Koichi Shimokawa,and Hiroaki Yamazaki(Toyo Keizai Shinposha,1991),pp.290-99.

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