Dispatch of troops to Shandong

Japanese: 山東出兵 - さんとうしゅっぺい

Japan's armed intervention against the Chinese National Revolution.

[Makio Okabe]

First

In 1927 (Showa 2), when the Nationalist Revolutionary Army approached Shandong Province for its Northern Expedition, the Tanaka Giichi Cabinet, fearing the weakening of the power of the Zhang Zuolin warlords supported by Japan, sent 2,000 troops from the Kwantung Army in May, and further dispatched 2,200 more in July to advance into Qingdao and Jinan, citing the need to protect Japanese nationals living in China. During this time, the Eastern Conference, which included the government, military, and overseas diplomatic missions, confirmed that a hard-line policy would be adopted toward China in order to protect interests in North and Northeast China. The Nationalist Government protested against the dispatch of troops, but instead turned to an offensive against the Communist Party, easing up on the Northern Expedition, and Japan's dispatch of troops also drew criticism both at home and abroad, leading to its withdrawal in September.

[Makio Okabe]

Second

When the Northern Expedition resumed in 1928, the Tanaka Cabinet decided to send troops again in April, and occupied key locations in Shandong Province with 5,000 troops, including the China Garrison Army and the 6th Division. As a result, armed clashes between the Japanese and Chinese armies broke out in Jinan in May (the Jinan Incident).

[Makio Okabe]

Third

Taking advantage of the Jinan Incident, the Japanese mobilized the 3rd Division that same month, deployed forces from all over Shandong Province to various parts of North China, and announced that they would use force to prevent the National Revolution from spreading to the Northeast. In March 1929, after the signing of the document resolving the Jinan Incident, they finally withdrew their troops. The Tanaka Cabinet's hardline policy hindered the progress of the National Revolution to some extent, but did not strengthen Zhang Zuolin's position. In June 1928, Kwantung Army Staff Colonel Kawamoto Daisaku and others assassinated Zhang beyond the government's expectations, which instead led to his son Zhang Xueliang being sent to fight against Japan, resulting in the centralization of the Northeast and the tentative achievement of the National Revolution at the end of the same year. Japan's repeated military deployments strengthened the anti-Japanese national movement in China and sparked a movement for non-interference in China within Japan.

[Makio Okabe]

"History of Japanese-Chinese Diplomacy" by Katsumi Usui (Hanawa Shinsho)

[References] | Jinan Incident | Non-Interference in China Movement

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

中国国民革命に対する日本の武力干渉。第一次から第三次にわたる。

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第一次

1927年（昭和2）、国民革命軍が北伐のため山東省に迫ると、日本の支持する張作霖(ちょうさくりん／チャンツオリン)軍閥の勢力弱化を恐れた田中義一(ぎいち)内閣は、在留邦人の保護を理由に、5月関東軍から2000の兵力を送り、7月さらに2200を増派して青島(チンタオ)や済南(さいなん／チーナン)に進出させた。またこの間、政府、軍部、在外公館員などによる東方会議で、華北、東北の権益擁護のため対中強硬方針をとることを確認した。国民政府側は出兵に抗議したが、共産党への攻勢に転じて北伐を緩め、また日本の出兵にも内外の批判が浴びせられ、9月撤兵した。

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第二次

1928年北伐が再開されると、田中内閣は4月ふたたび出兵を決定し、支那(しな)駐屯軍、第六師団など5000の兵力で山東省の要地を占領した。その結果5月には済南で日中両軍の武力衝突（済南事件）が起こった。

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第三次

済南事件を契機に、日本側は同月さらに第三師団を動員し、山東省全域から華北各地に兵力を展開するとともに、国民革命の東北への波及を実力で阻止するとの声明を出した。1929年3月、済南事件解決文書の調印をみ、ようやく撤兵した。田中内閣のこうした強硬政策は、国民革命の進展をある程度妨げたが、張作霖の立場を強化するまでには至らず、28年6月、関東軍参謀大佐河本大作(こうもとだいさく)らが政府の思惑を超えて張を爆殺したため、かえって息子の張学良(ちょうがくりょう／チャンシュエリヤン)を抗日に向かわせ、同年末の東北の中央化、国民革命のいちおうの達成という結果を招いた。日本のたび重なる出兵は中国の抗日民族運動を強め、日本国内でも対華非干渉運動を巻き起こした。

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『臼井勝美著『日中外交史』（塙新書）』

[参照項目] | 済南事件 | 対華非干渉運動

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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