Oral History of Chinese Laborers Forced to Work for Japan During World War II - Volume 5: Toiling in the Harbor

Author: He Tianyi, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: This volume primarily collects the oral histories of Chinese laborers forcibly recruited by Japan's port transportation industry. Japan is an island nation with numerous ports. During the war, military supplies such as grain, coal, iron, and rubber plundered from China and Asia were transported to Japan via these ports. At the same time, a large number of troops and military supplies required for Japan's overseas invasions also needed to be shipped out via ports. Especially in the later stages of the war, Japan's air transport capacity nearly collapsed, making maritime transportation extremely strained. Due to the feudal labor relations, unlimited working hours, and harsh labor conditions—such as working in wind and rain—along with the lack of safety guarantees in port operations, Japan faced a severe shortage of dock workers. As a result, since the Japanese government decided to forcibly recruit Chinese laborers, port loading and unloading operations became one of the key industries where they were used. The so-called "experimental immigration" began with the port loading and unloading industry in Fukue Port. This volume includes the oral histories of 94 laborers from the port transportation industry, covering 19 operational sites in the industry. Additionally, it features the oral histories of 12 laborers forcibly recruited to countries such as Korea, the Philippines, and Australia, providing insights into how Japan forcibly recruited and enslaved Chinese laborers in other occupied regions.