Abstract
An analysis of the revitalization of Manchurian development from the perspective of interactions between the local (Manchuria) and the central (Japan) reveals that development there unfolded through a persistent tension between centrifugal forces (local independence and autonomy) and centripetal forces (subordination and coordination with the center). Although Manchuria was under Japan’s control, its geographical separation and its founding ideology enabled it to retain a certain degree of its own local character—its centrifugal force—and to function as an experimental frontier. At the same time, much of its capital, technology, and institutional design depended on Japan, and centripetal forces toward the center were indispensable, as symbolized by the formation of the Japan–Manchuria economic bloc. These centrifugal and centripetal forces did not simply oppose each other; rather, they constituted a mutually complementary relationship that served as a driving force for development. As a new frontier, Manchuria offered a space in which engineers and reformist bureaucrats—who felt constrained within the Japanese homeland—could pursue ambitious projects and bold institutional and urban planning initiatives. Meanwhile, a distinctive local pride strengthened group discipline and cohesion, fostering developmental dynamism exemplified by construction contractors’ ethos of “national service through civil engineering.” Such locally grounded development in Manchuria ultimately influenced policy innovation at the center, as seen in the “re-importation” of planning and controlled-economy methods by figures such as Nobusuke Kishi. In conclusion, the revitalization of Manchurian development was sustained by a cyclical relationship that harmonized the enhancement of local particularity with central control—a structural condition that suggests general applicability to contemporary national land development.
