The Opening Ceremony of the Taiwan Industrial Exhibition

Some two decades after Japan took control of Taiwan, it held a Taiwan Industrial Exhibition from April 10 to May 15, 1916 to show off the results of twenty years of colonial rule in Taiwan. It also enabled them to sell commercial and agricultural products from Taiwan (as well as from Japan and Korea) and to reward the agricultural, forestry, and fishing industries that assisted with it. Indeed, it was an island-wide effort. The opening ceremony was held on April 18 at the Kodama Memorial Hall (now the National Taiwan Museum). Over three thousand officials and gentry from around Taiwan were in attendance.
The picture shows Prince Kan'in Kotohito from the Japanese royal family adorned ribbons and medals in the center of the visitors’ stand. Next to him elegantly dressed is his imperial concubine. From the way the guests were dressed to the carriages and the reading ceremony, it is apparent how much Japanese at the time wanted to “separate from Asia and join Europe.” However, at the time Europe was heavily entrenched in war. On the very day of the opening ceremony, America threatened to sever diplomatic relations with German over the Sussex Incident, which later became an important reason for its involvement in the war.