Japanese Colonial Rice Exploitation — Reality of the Rice Production Plan

From 1920, Japan implemented the Rice Production Increase Plan in colonial Korea — expanding irrigation, improving varieties, and extending farmland to increase Korean rice production.

Background

In 1918, Rice Riots erupted across Japan. Citizens rioted over soaring rice prices, prompting the Japanese government to plan increased rice production in Korea as a food supply source.

Korean View: "Rice Exploitation"

• Rice production grew from ~12.7M seok (1920) to ~17M seok (1933)

• But exports to Japan also surged from ~2M to over 8M seok

• Korean per-capita rice consumption actually decreased (~0.7 → 0.4 seok per person)

• Korean farmers had to substitute millet, sorghum, and Manchurian soybeans for rice

• "Production increased but people ate less" — if this isn't exploitation, what is?

Some Japanese Views: "Modern Agricultural Investment"

• Modern agricultural infrastructure (irrigation, variety improvement) was invested

• Rice exports were market transactions (commercial sales), not seizure

• Korean landlords voluntarily sold to Japan because Japanese market prices were higher

Core Issue

Production increased while consumption decreased simultaneously. Was this "market commerce" or "colonial extraction structure"? Did Korean farmers actually have the choice to refuse selling under the Governor-General's tax and requisition system?