In the start of 1920, Japanese sugarcane workers went against the will of the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association (HSPA) by uniting forces with Filipino planters and leading a joint strike on the basis of low wages. The HSPA's response was swift, planting rumors to promote the dissolution of the strike. Among the most prominent of these rumors was the belief that the Japanese strike was being instigated by forces in Tokyo. Such allegations were further spread via local newspapers, and contributed to the call for action to limit the Japanese population in the U.S. [1]

The strike was ultimately unsuccessful, ending in June of 1920, and in the aftermath those involved found themselves placed on trial by the HSPA. Though the strike was over the perception of Japanese as a prominent group in the sugarcane industry only presented them as a threat to other sugar planters with commercial interests. In response Anti-Japanese propaganda continued to spread. Such tactics were implemented to aid lobbyists in congress who wished for an influx of Chinese immigrants to replace Japanese planters. Lobbying failed to have the desired impact, instead ensuring that Japan as well as China would be among those nations the U.S placed strict immigration laws on in the Immigration Act of 1924.[2]

  1. ^ Ng, Franklin (2001-01-01). "Review of The Japanese Conspiracy: The Oahu Sugar Strike of 1920". The Journal of American History. 88 (1): 234–235. doi:10.2307/2674997.
  2. ^ "The Japanese Conspiracy: The Oahu Sugar Strike of 1920". eh.net. Retrieved 2016-03-24.