The Meji Japanese Who Made Modern Taiwan describes the story of Japan's involvement and administration of Taiwan in the pre-war era, with a focus on the period from 1895, when Taiwan was made a part of the Japanese Empire, to 1945, when the Pacific War ended. It introduces the policies pursued and equally important, the personalities, philosophies, and ambitions of the administrators, engineers, and technicians behind those policies. In particular, the unique thinking, leadership styles, and contributions of Kodama Gentaro, Goto Shinpei, Hatta Yoichi, Iso Eikichi, and Sugiyama Tatsumaru, among others who contributed to the development of modern Taiwan, are introduced in great detail. Their accomplishments remain with Taiwan today, which helps explain the extremely close relationship between Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China) and Japan maintain today.

Toshio Watanabe is former professor at Tsukaba University and the Tokyo University of Technology and is former professor, president, and chancellor at Takushoku University.

Robert D. Eldridge is tenured associate professor at Osaka University.

List of Figures

Translators Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: Iso Eikichi, the Father of Agriculture in Taiwan

Chapter 2: The Green Revolution Brought about byHraiRice

Chapter 3: Taiwan as a Frontier Dream

Chapter 4: Engineers Who Did Not Give Up

Chapter 5: Why the Chianan Irrigation System Succeeded

Chapter 6: Reason, Boldness, and the Administrative Style of Kodama and Got

Chapter 7: How England and the United States Saw Japans Administration of Taiwan

Conclusion: Why Korea is Anti-Japanese and Taiwan Pro-Japanese

Bibliography

Index

About the Author and Translator