Title: The Question of Postwar Shipbuilding Capacity During the Japanese Peace Treaty Negotiation

Speaker: Seung Mo Kang (London School of Economics)

 

Abstract:

This research seeks to understand why the Japanese peace treaty did not adopt a restrictive shipbuilding clause. When the peace treaty was first drafted in 1947, there had been a clause that restricted Japan’s capacity to produce ships; however, the final treaty contained no such restrictions. This was a major compromise made by Dulles and the British Commonwealth members, who were very vocal about limiting Japan’s shipping and shipbuilding capacity. The major points of contention revolved around economic and security considerations. In case of Britain, there were strong domestic pressures from shipbuilding firms to prevent Japanese competition; at the same time, the textile interests did not want Japan to be able to ship cheap textiles to India or Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the memory of Japan’s naval prowess was still fresh among Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Against this backdrop, the US adopted the following three strategies to convince these countries to drop their demands for restrictive shipping/shipbuilding clause. First, the concern about Japan’s re-emergence as a threat was addressed via the stationing of the US troops in Japan and the signing of ANZUS Treaty. Secondly, the US highlighted the worldwide shortage of available ships at the time, and Japan’s ability to fill this gap. Finally, the US stressed that the need to prevent Sovietization of Japan – and the concomitant need for shipping and shipbuilding capacity – outweighed the concerns about potential of Japanese naval and commercial threat. This study is significant in three respects. First, while shipbuilding issue was a contentious issue during the peace treaty negotiation, not enough attention has been given to it. Secondly, the discussion on postwar Japanese shipbuilding issue was a multilateral one, and another case example that demonstrates the international nature of postwar Japanese peace settlement. Finally, it has contemporary significance in that Japan today is a world-renowned shipbuilder.

 

Discussant:  Naoyuki Umemori (Waseda University)
Chair:  Yoshihiro Nakano (Waseda University)

Language: English

June 24 (Monday), 2019, 16:30-18:00

Place: Waseda University Campus, Building 14, Room 960

1-104 Totsukamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 169-8050, JAPAN
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