«Weeping Formosa»: the island’s struggle during the early years of Japanese colonial rule in the coverage of Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti, 1895–1898

The article analyzes publications in the newspaper Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti dedicated to the first years of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan. It emphasizes how the publication, under the editorship of E.E. Ukhtomsky, actively expanded its coverage of Eastern affairs, reflecting the growing interest of the Russian Empire in the region. The newspaper's source base was broad and diverse: its editorial team demonstrated a strong command of materials from the Japanese and British press. The key themes highlighted in its reports on Formosa were: 1) Japan's personnel policy, including the appointments of Governors-General and their role in governing the island; 2) civil unrest and resistance by the local population; and 3) epidemics and their impact on the combat readiness of the Japanese army. Special attention is paid to how the perceived causes of the crisis in the Formosan colonial administration were viewed in Japan and Russia within the context of their rivalry in East Asia.