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In late 1871, a ship returning to [[Miyako Island]] after paying [[tribute]] in [[Shuri]] was caught in a typhoon and shipwrecked on the southeastern coast of Taiwan, where many of the Miyako Islanders were killed by Taiwanese aborigines. An international incident ensued, in which China and Japan clashed over control over, and responsibility for, both Taiwan and the Ryûkyûs, eventually leading to the [[Taiwan Expedition of 1874|deployment of Japanese troops in Taiwan in 1874]], very nearly leading to the outright break out of war between China and Japan, and ending with the Japanese annexation of the Ryûkyûs in [[1879]].

In late 1871, a ship returning to [[Miyako Island]] after paying [[tribute]] in [[Shuri]] was caught in a typhoon and shipwrecked on the southeastern coast of Taiwan, where many of the Miyako Islanders were killed by Taiwanese aborigines. An international incident ensued, in which China and Japan clashed over control over, and responsibility for, both Taiwan and the Ryûkyûs, eventually leading to the [[Taiwan Expedition of 1874|deployment of Japanese troops in Taiwan in 1874]], very nearly leading to the outright break out of war between China and Japan, and ending with the Japanese annexation of the Ryûkyûs in [[1879]].

==Details==

==Incident==

Of the 69 Miyako Islanders on board the ship, three drowned, and 54 were killed by Taiwanese aborigines. [[Yanagiwara Sakimitsu]], a Japanese official in Shanghai, reported the incident to Tokyo roughly six months later. That same year (1872), some months after being shipwrecked, the twelve survivors rescued by the Chinese returned home to Miyako via [[Fuzhou]], and King [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] sent his official thanks to the Chinese emperor and authorities for rescuing and returning his subjects.

Of the 69 Miyako Islanders on board the ship, three drowned, and 54 were killed by Taiwanese aborigines. [[Yanagihara Sakimitsu]], a Japanese official in Shanghai, reported the incident to Tokyo roughly six months later. That same year (1872), some months after being shipwrecked, the twelve survivors rescued by the Chinese returned home to Miyako via [[Fuzhou]], and King [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] sent his official thanks to the Chinese emperor and authorities for rescuing and returning his subjects.

 

 

Various voices, especially from [[Kagoshima prefecture]], pushed for a military expedition to be sent to Taiwan to exact retribution against the aborigines for killing Japanese subjects. In February [[1874]], Tokyo decided to do just that, and in May that year, an expedition was launched.

==References==

==References==