In the Indonesian historiography the contest for market between the chinese and indigenous traders has long attracted much scholarly attention however this issue was actually only part of the story. This article seeks to elaborate the japanese and chinese import trade competition in java during the 1930s depression. Drawing upon both primary and scondary historical materials it is argued that instead of creating a time of hardships the crisis paved the way for japan s impor trade expasion. Beniviting from creation of large market for ceap products among the costumers in java suvvering from a decline in purchasing power and their owned trade networks a great number of japan products will soon controlle the market. the chinese found that theirwell-established economic position was seriously thereatened. Although Japan s fast rising market domination was eventually removed it was due to the changing of the japanese to maintain ats position rather than that of the responses of the Chinese traders.