Settlement of branch villages in wartime Manchuria and the transformation of home villages : a case study of Fujimi village, Suwa district, Nagano prefecture

Abstract

This paper examines historical features of emigration to Manchuria, focusing on the creation of branch villages during the war. Branch villages were designed to have a certain number of farming households and a certain number of acres of farm land based on concepts about the appropriate, manageable size of farms. The policy emphasized emigration of entire families from their home villages in what could be termed an outflow of the rural labor force. However, many of the farmers who emigrated with their families planned to return to their home villages in the future, as we can see from the practice of leaving relatives in charge of farm land in their home village. Thus, there was little evidence of farming households permanently leaving their home villages. The policy was an unrealistic one for farmers, who wanted to protect family assets and preserve the family line. The policy had a marked effect on home villages and settlements once emigrants departed. For example, the large outflow of farm families led to a decline in agricultural productivity due to a shortage of labor. In response, policymakers initiated home village improvement plans. The response by farmers and policies implemented by their home villages were closely related, and this fact profoundly influenced the growth of branch villages.