Everything about Kwantung Leased Territory totally explained
The
Kwantung Leased Territory (
Chinese: 關東州, 关东州, Guāndōngzhōu;
Japanese: 関東州, Kantōshū) was a territory in the southern part of the
Liaodong Peninsula in northeastern
China that existed from
1898 to
1945. It was one of the numerous
concessions that China was compelled to award to foreign countries at the end of the 19th century. The territory included the militarily and economically significant ports of
Lüshunkou (Port Arthur) and
Dalian (Dal'niy or Dairen).
The name
Kwantung means "east of
Shanhaiguan", a reference to part of
Qinhuangdao in today's
Hebei province, with the eastern end of the
Great Wall of China.
History
In
Qing dynasty China, the Liaodong Peninsula was administratively part of
Liaoning Province. In 1882, the
Beiyang Fleet established a
naval base and
coaling station at
Lüshunkou (Port Arthur).
Japan occupied the region during the
First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). Under the terms of the
Treaty of Shimonoseki signed by Japan and China ending the war in April 1895, Japan gained full
sovereignty of the area. However, within weeks,
Germany,
France and
Russia pressured Japan to cede the territory back to China, in what was called the
Triple Intervention.
In December 1897,
Russian naval vessels entered Port Arthur harbor, which they began to use as a forward base of operations for patrols off of northern China,
Korea and the
Sea of Japan. In March 1898 Russia formally leased the region for 25 years from China. The leased area extended to the northern shore of Yadang Bay on the western side of the peninsula; on the eastern side it reached Pikou. The peninsula north of the lease was made a neutral territory in which China agreed not to offer concessions to other countries. In 1899, Russia founded the town of Dal'niy (meaning "distant" or "remote") which would later become
Dalian (Dairen in Japanese).
In 1898 Russia began building a railroad north from Port Arthur to link Port Arthur with the
Chinese Eastern Railway at
Harbin; this spur line would become the
South Manchurian Railway.
Under the
Portsmouth Treaty (
1905) resulting from the
Russo-Japanese War, Japan replaced Russia as leaseholder. Japan also obtained extraterritorial rights the regions north of the territory adjacent to the South Manchurian Railway in 1905 (the
South Manchurian Railway Zone, which was extended to
Changchun. These rights, along with the railway and several spur lines were passed to the corporation known as the
South Manchurian Railway Company.
Japan established the to administer the new territory, and based the Kwantung Garrison to defend it and the railway. In negotiations with the
Republic of China under the
Twenty-One Demands, the terms of the lease were extended to 99 years, or until 1997.
After the foundation of Japanese-controlled
Manchukuo in 1932, Japan regarded the sovereignty of the leased territory as transferred from China to Manchukuo. A new lease agreement was contracted between Japan and the government of Manchukuo, and Japan surrendered the
surrender at the end of [[World War II - Totally Explained">surrender of Japan - Totally Explained">surrender at the end of [[World War II in 1945.
Administration
In a reorganization of 1919, the Kwantung Garrison was renamed the
Kwantung Army and separated from the civilian administration of the territory, which was designated the . The Kantō-cho initially directly reported to the office of the
Prime Minister of Japan; later it was subordinated to the
Ministry of Colonial Affairs. Internally, the Kwantung Leased Area was divided into two districts, with two cities and nine towns. The city assemblies were in part elected, and in part appointed by the governor.
Economy
Massive capital investment was concentrated in Dairen (now the capital of the territory), wherein Japanese firms developed a significant industrial
infrastructure, as well as creating a first class
port out of the mediocre natural
harbor. The facilities of the port at Dairen and its
free trade port status made it the principal trade gateway to northeast China. The South Manchurian Railway Company was headquartered in Dairen, and some of the profits from its operation were channel into transforming Dairan into a showcase city of modern
city planning and
modern architecture, with hospitals, universities and a large industrial zone.
Demographics
In the national
census of 1935, the population of the Kwantung Leased Territory was 1,034,074, of whom 168,185 were Japanese nationals. The numbers excluded military personnel. The area of the territory was .
Governor-General of Kwantung Leased Territory
Further Information
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