The problems of historical legacy of Japanese colonial rule in contemporary Taiwan

The problems of the historical past associated with the military expansion of the Japanese Empire in Asia in the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries still have a negative impact on the relations between Japan and its former colonies, as well as countries occupied during World War II. At the same time, the residents of Taiwan, who were under Japanese control for the longest period (1895–1945), have not retained in their memory the sharply negative image of the “Japanese occupiers” specific for other countries that were also directly dependent on the Japanese Empire. The article examines approaches to assessing Japanese colonial rule in contemporary Taiwan, the role of the educational and enlightenment policies of the authorities in the formation of historical memory among the island’s residents. Using the content of history textbooks, exhibitions at historical museums and memorials as an example, the work traces the connection between the interpretations of different periods of Taiwanese history (the Japanese period and the rule of the Kuomintang) and studies their influence on the perception of modern Japan in Taiwanese society.