What if Japan colonized Taiwan in 1599-1621?

Hokkaido would be pointless, the Kakizaki clan already have trading rights there, anything further would mean more clans to keep track of.

If they decide to go the route of settler colonies instead of trying to conquer Korea and China than I would think Hokkaido a more obvious choice than Taiwan.
 
To be clear, they did try to do this! Hideyoshi and Tokugawa were both interested in establishing Japanese presence on Taiwan, mainly to use it as a trade center where Japanese merchants could more directly acquire Chinese goods. This was interesting historically because it was the Christian daimyo who attempted it; Arima Harunobu, one of the really interesting figures in Japanese Christian history, tried and failed, setting off a complicated chain of events that eventually led to the persecution of Christians in Japan, and another Christian, Murayama Toan, was more directly ordered to do so by Tokugawa. So, depending on OP's POD, there are two very different potential effects: if the Japanese successfully colonize Taiwan in the late 1500s, this could allow them some trade with China without European middlemen, greatly reducing European influence and Christianity going forward. If the POD is that Arima or Murayama succeed, though, you could have even more powerful Western daimyo, or a full Christianized Japanese culture developing on Taiwan!
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
IOTL, Japanese have abandoned even colonies on Luson which is in direction easier to reach, have drier climate and have more natives to trade with.

Leaving Taiwan aside then, what if Japanese colonies on Luzon persisted?
 

trurle

Banned
Leaving Taiwan aside then, what if Japanese colonies on Luzon persisted?
Then Luzon become a conventional waypoint on the way to Taiwan (or other way - Taiwan become a resupply station while returning from Luzon). Okinawa-Luzon-Taiwan-Okinawa route in epoch of sail is much more practical than Okinawa-Taiwan-Okinawa, because avoids going directly against dominant winds.
The Japanese settlements on Luzon actually did persist IOTL, finally assimilating in 19th century. Some defunct Japanese shrine buildings on Luzon are now tourist attraction. Would Japanese government did not carry evacuations in 17th century as IOTL, Japanese cities on Luzon would exist, although i do not expect them to be politically independent from local states.
 
Last edited:

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
Then Luzon become a conventional waypoint on the way to Taiwan (or other way - Taiwan become a resupply station while returning from Luzon). Okinawa-Luzon-Taiwan-Okinawa route in epoch of sail is much more practical than Okinawa-Taiwan-Okinawa, because avoids going directly against dominant winds.

What has to change to make Japan either colonize Luzon ahead of the Spanish or displace them after they set up colonies.
 

trurle

Banned
What has to change to make Japan either colonize Luzon ahead of the Spanish or displace them after they set up colonies.
Such proposal was made before and is generally plausible, especially together with alliance with Dutch. Spanish was already badly over-extended by 1568 - the date of start of Eighty Years War.
 
Leaving Taiwan aside then, what if Japanese colonies on Luzon persisted?

Then Luzon become a conventional waypoint on the way to Taiwan (or other way - Taiwan become a resupply station while returning from Luzon). Okinawa-Luzon-Taiwan-Okinawa route in epoch of sail is much more practical than Okinawa-Taiwan-Okinawa, because avoids going directly against dominant winds.
The Japanese colonies on Luzon actually did persist IOTL, finally assimilating in 19th century. Some defunct Japanese shrine buildings on Luzon are now tourist attraction. Would Japanese government did not carry evacuations in 17th century as IOTL, Japanese cities on Luzon would exist, although i do not expect them to be politically independent from local states.

What has to change to make Japan either colonize Luzon ahead of the Spanish or displace them after they set up colonies.

Such proposal was made before and is generally plausible, especially together with alliance with Dutch. Spanish was already badly over-extended by 1568 - the date of start of Eighty Years War.

There is no Japanese Colonies in Luzon, the reality is that Luzon was a part of the Trading route of Ryukyu and Majapahit and Brunei and Japan can be partners since Brunei was controlling that trade route at that point and the Spanish destroyed the trading route and the Bruneians who control Luzon before the Spanish were better in maintaining that trade route and did not try to convert the Japanese to their religion, there was the Maharlika conspiracy which sought help from Brunei and Japan to kick the Spanish in that island and restore Bruneian suzerainty.

If Brunei retain controls of Luzon that means that Taiwan might get colonized by the Japanese.
 
Last edited:
Top