The modern history of psychiatry in Taiwan: under Japanese rule and after WWII

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00272
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01080:Sociology of science, history of science and technology-related
• Research Institution: Aichi Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Hashimoto Akira 愛知県立大学, 教育福祉学部, 教授 (40208442)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 精神医療史 / 台湾 / 旧植民地 / 精神医療施設 / コロニアリズム / ポストコロニアリズム / 精神医療法制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to clarify the history of psychiatry in Taiwan during and after the Japanese occupation. To this end, the relevant domestic and international materials were collected and analyzed, and opinions on the history and current status of psychiatry were exchanged with Taiwanese researchers. Regarding Taiwan under Japanese rule, the focus was on the history of the Taiwan Governor-General's Psychiatric Hospital, which opened in 1934, comparing with other psychiatric facilities at the time. Meanwhile, as for postwar Taiwan, the process of the 1990 enactment of the Mental Health Act was examined from the perspective of the lack of psychiatric institutions under martial law and the poor treatment of the mentally ill. In addition, a visit was made to the Taipei Veterans General Hospital Yuli Branch in Hualien County to investigate the history and current status of community psychiatric care.

Free Research Field

精神医療史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来の台湾の精神医療史研究においては、日本統治時代と第二次世界大戦後の歴史記述とが断絶していたが、本研究はその歴史を連続的にとらえる嚆矢となるものである。また、近代日本の精神医療の制度は旧外地まで及ぶものだったが、日本本土の制度をほぼ忠実に施行させた唯一の地域である台湾の制度運用を詳細に検討することで、近代日本の精神医療の普遍性と特殊性、近代日本の制度の本質を逆にあぶりだすことが可能となる。さらに、戦後台湾の精神医療制度の展開過程は、東アジア各国各地域の精神医療政策を比較検討するうえで、また、わが国の今後の精神保健福祉法制を考えるうえで重要な示唆を与えるものと考える。