Description
The Kuroshio Frontier offers a compelling environmental history of Japan’s imperial expansion and relationship with the Pacific Ocean. Jonas Rüegg argues that the Kuroshio Current—one of the world’s most powerful ocean currents—was far more than a geographical phenomenon; it was a crucial factor shaping Japan’s political, economic, and cultural development.
Through innovative analysis, Rüegg demonstrates how Japanese empire-builders harnessed their understanding of oceanic systems to advance territorial ambitions and resource extraction. The book traces the intersection of environmental knowledge, technological innovation, and imperial power from the early modern period through the twentieth century. By placing the ocean itself at the center of historical analysis, this work reveals how natural systems both enabled and constrained Japan’s Pacific ambitions, offering new perspectives on Japanese imperialism, environmental history, and the broader history of human-ocean relations in Asia.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.