Formosa was a Japanese colony for over 50 years, from 1895 to the end of WWII in 1945. During the first three years of Japan's colonial rule, the Japanese military governed the island. However, in 1898 Tōkyō began appointing Japanese Governors to oversee Taiwan. As Taiwan was Japan's first colony, many resources were used to ensure the success of the colony Formosa. Japan had widespread success in establishing order throughout the colony by working to eradicate diseases as well as improve the colonies infrastructure and overall economy. Japanese rule modernised Taiwan following the ‘Meiji’ restoration processes. Their initial policies focused on growing the agricultural industry by working to improve production outputs and farming techniques. The Japanese also built highways and improved the existing infrastructure of railway tracks which aimed to increase access to isolated areas the island and stimulate the economy. Taiwan Initially had 50 km of railway track when the Japanese first took control of the colony and worked to develop upwards of 500 km of railway tracks. The Japanese also constructed schools, hospitals and other key infrastructure such as roads, productive farms and trade ports. The Japanese government intended to propel Taiwan into a modern economy, and as a result became of the most advanced countries in East Asia. Formosa experienced a shift in cultural identity as a result of Japanese rule. Although Formosa was not technically assimilated with Japanese culture, the local Taiwanese populations were forced to speak Japanese instead of their native language resulting in the loss of local culture. The Japanese ruled the Taiwanese people strictly, dictating policies which represented Japanese interests. A key aspect of the policies which were created to benefit Japanese interests at the time, involved control of the opium trade and strict regulation of its presence throughout Taiwanese and Japanese society. Japan's desire to "civilise" Formosa and the "savages" which occupied the land extended past infrastructure and education, and focussed largely on opium usage. The practise of smoking opium was seen as primitive and dangerous by the Japanese hick as a threat to their ideology and their perception in the global world. Taiwan Opium Edict of 1897 In 1895 the short-lived 'Republic of Formosa' resistance leaders created fake 'Japanese issued propaganda' stating that opium would be banned in the hope it would drive supporters to their cause. In response, the Japanese government made it temporality legal to continue smoking opium for