日本領有臺灣之後，因應施政之需求，先後規劃各種統計調查，昭和4年（1929）年起實施的資源調查也是業績之一。資源調查乃是藉著探究和記錄人和物的資源現況，做為國家總動員產業政策的指針，結果可通盤了解國家資源，明白自給自足或仰賴他國的情形。當局實施資源調查的背景，與1920年代後期日本軍部對戰爭資源的掌控有關，軍部系統強勢地介入中央統計機關，成立資源局並運作資源調查，臺灣總督府配合其政策，也於臺灣實施。1929年臺灣總督府頒佈〈臺灣資源調查令〉，著手規劃調查事項。調查持續至1942年，歷經殖產局商工課、官房調查課、官房企畫部和企畫部等統計機關，與臺灣資源調查委員會和國家總動員業務委員會等跨部會組織，動用總督府各部門之專業人員，為日治後期，殖民當局頗為重視的基礎調查。整體而言，資源調查是以統計為名，對帝國資源實施探勘和研究，對臺灣資源的蒐集和整理角度而言，留下不可抹滅的成果和記錄。

After Japanese occupied Taiwan, for the need of administration, they planned and implemented the variety of statistical investigations, including of Resources Investigation. Resources Investigation was to explore the quantity and quality of people and substance in order to understand the utilization of the whole of Japanese empire. The background of the Resources Investigation was in the late of 1920's, the war resources controlling from Japanese military. Japanese military system got involved to the central statistical authority strongly, and established the Resources Bureau, implementing Resources Investigation which attempt to grasp the war resources. Taiwan Governor-General Office coordinated the policy, and implemented the same investigation. Taiwan Governor-General Office published the Law of Taiwan Resources Investigation, beginning to carry out the investigation and organize Resources Investigation Committee of Taiwan, from 1929 to 1942. As a whole, Resource Investigation was based on the name of statistics, but implemented to explore and research the empire resources. The investigation leaved out indelible achievement and records in Taiwan.