Discussion Papers 2024

CIRJE-F-1233	"Japan’s economic warfare in the 1930s and early 1940s"
Author Name	Okazaki, Tetsuji and Akira Okubo
Date	August 2024
Full Paper	PDF file
Remarks

Abstract
Japan’s participation in World War II was a consequence of self-reinforcing cycles of Japan’s aggressions in East Asia and the economic sanctions imposed on Japan by the Western countries. During the war, the United States blocked transportation of natural resources to Japan from the Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere using its naval power, particularly submarine attacks on Japanese ships. Japan managed to adapt to this blockade strategy of the United States by adopting various measures, including accelerating merchant ship building to maintain the marine shipping capacity and substituting domestic resources for imported raw materials. Although limits were ultimately reached, these measures for adaptation enabled Japan to continue the war for more than three and a half years.
Keywords:

Abstract

Japan’s participation in World War II was a consequence of self-reinforcing cycles of Japan’s aggressions in East Asia and the economic sanctions imposed on Japan by the Western countries. During the war, the United States blocked transportation of natural resources to Japan from the Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere using its naval power, particularly submarine attacks on Japanese ships. Japan managed to adapt to this blockade strategy of the United States by adopting various measures, including accelerating merchant ship building to maintain the marine shipping capacity and substituting domestic resources for imported raw materials. Although limits were ultimately reached, these measures for adaptation enabled Japan to continue the war for more than three and a half years.

Keywords: