This paper clarifies the process of transition in the concept of ‘consumer’ in Japan by analyzing the practice of a consumer cooperative movement before WWII. In social science, this concept has frequently been used as an analytical category. However, why was this concept, originally a term representing a recipient of goods, used as a category that people identified with.

In this paper, we analyze this transition by focusing on the socio-economic discourse in Japan. This concept was used not only as a trading entity but also as an actor of social change in the consumer cooperative movement of the 1920s. Moreover, faced with the problem of a lack of commodities in WWII, activists in the women’s movement identified themselves as “Consumers” serving the nation.

  The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between Fukuda Tokuzo and Chinese intellectuals in 1910-20’s.

  Fukuda Tokuzo (1874-1930) was one of the most famous and influential Japanese economists in the first half of the 20th century. Graduated from the Tokyo Higher School of Commerce, Fukuda went to Europe mainly studying economic history and social policy under Lujo Brentano. Going back to Japan in 1901, he as an expert of Western new economics had contributed so much to social policies in Japan. Although not a Marxist, he is also known as a pioneer of Marxism in Japan. During Taisho period, Fukuda organized Reimeikai, an intellectual society with Yoshino Sakuzo, eagerly advocated social reconstruction, emancipation, and democracy.

  After the First Sino-Japanese War, many Chinese students and intellectuals came to Japan to study Western social sciences. They ardently read economic theses written by Fukuda and translated much of them into Chinese. Li Dazhao’s monumental work, “My Marxism (Wo de Makesizhuyi)”, which is one of the earliest documents of Marxism written in Chinese, was much based on Fukuda’s thought. It can be said that many Chinese learned economics and Marxism through his books.

  Chinese eyes also were focused on Japanese democratic movement such as Reimeikai. Although they agreed with the purpose of Reimeikai, they blamed Fukuda for his opinion on the Twenty-One Demands. Fukuda thought of the Twenty-One Demands as reasonable one, suggesting that if Chinese government had refused the Demands, Japan should go to war against them. Many Chinese young leaders such as Li Dazhao, Zhou Zuoren, Guo Moruo accused Fukuda of his imperialistic view on China, which seemed to be contradictory to his other democratic opinions.

  Fukuda took 3 months trip for China in 1922 to give series of lectures. He mainly talked about Marxism and Bolshevism, which was very hot theme in China. Many audiences hearing his lectures praised him. Fukuda finally went to Beijing University to meet Hu Shih, an advocator of the New Culture Movement in China. Fukuda was stimulated by the idea of Hu Shih on the New Culture Movement, while Hu Shih also took much interest in Fukuda’s worldview. Afterwards, both Fukuda and Hu Shih had changed their views on world future by traveling to the Soviet Union. Hu Shih visited Fukuda again in April 1927 to discuss American societies.

  It can be said that Fukuda is a key person of intellectual relationships between Japan and China in 1910-20’s.