Modern Japan’s Plunder of Hydropower Resources in Northeast China

In order to achieve the strategic needs of foreign expansion, Japan gradually plundered a large amount of hydropower resources in northeast China for its development of heavy and chemical industry, in an attempt to achieve “total war”. Before September 18th Incident, with Manchuria Railway as a convenient condition, Japan sent special personnel several times to carry out a survey on water energy in northeast China. After the establishment of the “Manchukuo”, the Kwantung Army faked the implementation of hydropower projects by the “Manchukuo” government and attempted to integrate various resources to provide power support for the “general war”. The Japanese also swindled laborers into the northeast China and forced them to work on hydroelectric projects, torturing and burying them there. Using the hydropower resources in northeast China, Japan maintained its colonial rule and continued to expand its war of aggression, which brought untold sufferings to the Chinese people. The historical memory of suffering laborers and abusive overseers formed by the construction of hydropower projects also profoundly influenced the historical reconciliation of East Asian society.