Taiwan Autonomous Prefecture 台湾自治道 (Japanese) 台灣自治洲 (Chinese) | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
Anthem: Formosa Bright Royal anthem: Kimigayo | |
| Capital | Taihoku |
| Official languages | Japanese Mandarin Chinese Taiwanese Hokkien |
| Ethnic groups | 82.3% Han Chinese, 13.2% Japanese, 4.9% White, 0.1% Mixed, 0.4% Natives |
| Demonym(s) | Taiwanese Japanese |
The Taiwan Autonomous Prefecture (Japanese: 台湾自治道 Taiwan jichidō Chinese: 台灣自治洲 Taiwan zizhi zhou), commonly just known as Taiwan, is an autonomous prefecture belonging to the Japanese Empire. It has a population of 32.91 million people and is the most populous prefecture in Japan.
The population of Taiwan is 82% Han Chinese, making the prefecture the only one in Japan to have a non-Japanese majority population. The prefecture is a popular vacation destination for Chinese tourists who seek out a familar, yet exotic vacation spot. The island prefecture is also home to the largest Afrikaner population in Asia, with just under two million people on the island claiming Afrikaner descent.
History []
Spanish Colony[]
From 1626 until 1642, the island that is now the Taiwan Autonomous Prefecture was under the control of Spanish.
Dutch Colony[]
After 1642, the island came under the control of the Dutch after the Eighty-Years War. The colony was used as a trading post to and from goods from the Ming Dynasty and Japan. Rapid economic development by the Dutch was seen on the island. The Dutch would control the island until 1662, when Ming retainers under Koxinga conquered the island in the Battle of Fort Zeelandia.
Kingdom of Tungning []
Following the fall of the Dutch, the Kingdom of Tunging would control the island until 1683, when the Qing invaded and took control of the entire island.
Early Qing Rule (1662 - 1827)[]
Under Qing rule, the island was relatively peaceful and untouched. This would change in 1827, with the opening and rapid development of Japan. The Qing saw this as a threat and followed suit, instituting martial law on the island and slowly but steadily building up military defences across the island. This would come in direct conflict with the natives and existing Han settlements in the region, which allowed for riots to appear. Most of these would be quelled through intense crackdowns by the slighlty modernized Qing Army in Taiwan.
Later Qing Rule (1827 - 1894)[]
As martial law went on, the Japanese would begin taking interest in the island. In 1852, Japanese forces sent scout ships off the coast of the island. The ships were spotted by a Qing coastal guard, who began firing warning shots at the Japanese vessels. The scout ships turned back as to avoid a full conflict with the Qing, as Japan was not ready yet. In the following decades, many scout ships were sent by the Japanese to collect intel on the Qing defences. In 1894, a Japanese merchant vessel crossed into the Qing waters around Taiwan to refuel, but the ship was mistaken for a scout ship so the Qing fired on them, sinking the ship. This incident outraged Japan, which declared war the following day.
The Japanese began their assault on the island of Taiwan in the early morning hours of 5 June 1894. The initial Japanese plan was for a two prong attack on the island. The landings were successful, but deadly.