山口県大島郡久賀村初期ハワイ契約移民の社会地理学的考察

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The purpose of this study is to understand what Japanese indentured emigrants were like: social and economic backgrounds of emigrants in their native villages, and also to comprehend Japan's international position in the later 19th century through the study of Japanese indentured emigrants. It was due to the decrease of Chinese indentured emigrants that Japanese indentured emigrants were suddenly demanded by sugar plantations in Hawaii. The first recruitment for indentured emigrants was undertaken in 1884. As many as about 28,OOO persons all over Japan applied for this recruitment, the volume of which was about 600. Three hundred labourers were sent from this Oshima Island and those from Kuga-son under discussion were numbered as many as 35. At present emigrants in Hawaii (including 2nd and 3rd generations) from this Oshima Island are roughly estimated at the figures between 1O,OOO and 15,OOO. Accordingly Oshima Island is often called the island of emigrants. Thus, Kuga-son, a part of Oshima Island, is one of the mother villages which sent many indentured emigrants. Kuga-son was selected as a sample area for intensive study of Japanese indentured emigration due to the following reasons: absolutely large number and ralatively high rate of indentured emigrants, achievement of indentured emigrants' success in agriculture; and richness in the documents of emigration. It is due to the fact that Duke K. Inoue. Minister of ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. T. Masuda, President of Mitsui Bussan company referred the area around Hiroshima Bay to Mr. R. W, Irwin, acting ministry, then councellor in charge of immigration, the Lagation of the Hawaii Kingdom in Japan. The results are as follows: Most emigrants came from the peasantry and were poor. It is indeed true that the poor comprised the larger part of applicants and the poor emigrated, but such case was only possible and true with the case that travel expenses were given as \vas seen in the early indentured emigration_ (1885 and' 86). They were young: in twenty and thirty agers. Most of emigrant's positions in their family were heads of family, the eldest sons and wives. Emigrants' religions were mainly Jyodo-Syu, one of the sects of Buddhism which application/s ones for emigration were largely Jyodo-Shinsyu, also one of the sects of Buddhism. About 40 percent of emigrants returned home immediately after the indenture period was expired. Coming back to their home villages, their livings were improved, paying debts off, buying farms and building houses. Many similarities were found in this selected area with Jigozen-son and Kuchida-son in Hiroshima prefecture. It is, however, evident that the ratio of men accompanied by wives to the total men was higher in this selected area in comparison with Jigozen-son and Kuchida-son in Hiroshima prefecture, papers of which were previous published by the present writer. Linkage between free and indenture emigrations from this island to Hawaii remains to be studied Social Geographic. characteristics of Japanese emigration will be better understood by comparative study of free emigrants from the Okinawa (Ryukyu) Islands which were initiated in a large scale from the turn of the 20th century.
地理科学学会の論文
1967-06-01

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石川友紀
琉球大・法文

山口県大島郡久賀村初期ハワイ契約移民の社会地理学的考察

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