Taiwan’s customs service during the Japanese occupation, 1895–1945

What is it about?

In the mid-nineteenth century, both China and Japan almost simultaneously came under the huge influence of Western powers. The impact and the different ways it played out in each country can be observed through the development of their respective customs systems. Since the 1860s, a Western-style customs had been used in Taiwan, but it switched to the model (itself Westernized) adopted by Japan as part of the Meiji Restoration. The resulting amalgamation became the new system for controlling the flow of Taiwanese people, goods and ships after the war. This new system, a combination of Chinese and Japanese style, was a microcosm of Taiwan’s post-war regime.

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Why is it important?

This article focuses on the customs in Taiwan during the period of Japanese rule. It attempts to explore the formation of the modern Japanese customs from the end of the shogunate to the Meiji Restoration, how it was transplanted to Taiwan, and the process and historical significance of the transformation.

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