Japanese-Era Dates on Taiwan Household Registers
Taiwan household registers (戶籍謄本) created between 1895 and 1945 are dated in Japanese imperial eras — Meiji, Taishō and Shōwa — not in Western years. Records after 1945 switch to ROC (Minguo) years. This page explains how to read both.
The three conversions
Each Japanese era restarts the year count. Only the year changes — the month and day are identical to the Western calendar, so a date written as "Shōwa 10, 3rd month, 8th day" is simply 8 March 1935.
| Meiji 明治 | Western year = Meiji year + 1867 (Meiji 28 = 1895) |
|---|---|
| Taishō 大正 | Western year = Taishō year + 1911 (Taishō 5 = 1916) |
| Shōwa 昭和 | Western year = Shōwa year + 1925 (Shōwa 10 = 1935) |
| ROC 民國 | Western year = ROC year + 1911 (ROC 40 = 1951) |
To convert a specific full date, use the Japanese era converter for pre-1945 records and the ROC year converter for anything after.
Era reference table, 1895–1945
This covers the full period of Japanese administration, which is the period the surviving Japanese-language household registers were created in.
| Western | Japanese era | Kanji | ROC equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1895 | Meiji 28 | 明治28 | Before ROC 17 | Japanese administration begins |
| 1896 | Meiji 29 | 明治29 | Before ROC 16 | — |
| 1897 | Meiji 30 | 明治30 | Before ROC 15 | — |
| 1898 | Meiji 31 | 明治31 | Before ROC 14 | — |
| 1899 | Meiji 32 | 明治32 | Before ROC 13 | — |
| 1900 | Meiji 33 | 明治33 | Before ROC 12 | — |
| 1901 | Meiji 34 | 明治34 | Before ROC 11 | — |
| 1902 | Meiji 35 | 明治35 | Before ROC 10 | — |
| 1903 | Meiji 36 | 明治36 | Before ROC 9 | — |
| 1904 | Meiji 37 | 明治37 | Before ROC 8 | — |
| 1905 | Meiji 38 | 明治38 | Before ROC 7 | — |
| 1906 | Meiji 39 | 明治39 | Before ROC 6 | Household registration system established |
| 1907 | Meiji 40 | 明治40 | Before ROC 5 | — |
| 1908 | Meiji 41 | 明治41 | Before ROC 4 | — |
| 1909 | Meiji 42 | 明治42 | Before ROC 3 | — |
| 1910 | Meiji 43 | 明治43 | Before ROC 2 | — |
| 1911 | Meiji 44 | 明治44 | Before ROC 1 | — |
| 1912 | Taishō 1 | 大正1 | ROC 1 | Meiji ends; ROC founded |
| 1913 | Taishō 2 | 大正2 | ROC 2 | — |
| 1914 | Taishō 3 | 大正3 | ROC 3 | — |
| 1915 | Taishō 4 | 大正4 | ROC 4 | — |
| 1916 | Taishō 5 | 大正5 | ROC 5 | — |
| 1917 | Taishō 6 | 大正6 | ROC 6 | — |
| 1918 | Taishō 7 | 大正7 | ROC 7 | — |
| 1919 | Taishō 8 | 大正8 | ROC 8 | — |
| 1920 | Taishō 9 | 大正9 | ROC 9 | — |
| 1921 | Taishō 10 | 大正10 | ROC 10 | — |
| 1922 | Taishō 11 | 大正11 | ROC 11 | — |
| 1923 | Taishō 12 | 大正12 | ROC 12 | — |
| 1924 | Taishō 13 | 大正13 | ROC 13 | — |
| 1925 | Taishō 14 | 大正14 | ROC 14 | — |
| 1926 | Shōwa 1 | 昭和1 | ROC 15 | Taishō ends |
| 1927 | Shōwa 2 | 昭和2 | ROC 16 | — |
| 1928 | Shōwa 3 | 昭和3 | ROC 17 | — |
| 1929 | Shōwa 4 | 昭和4 | ROC 18 | — |
| 1930 | Shōwa 5 | 昭和5 | ROC 19 | — |
| 1931 | Shōwa 6 | 昭和6 | ROC 20 | — |
| 1932 | Shōwa 7 | 昭和7 | ROC 21 | — |
| 1933 | Shōwa 8 | 昭和8 | ROC 22 | — |
| 1934 | Shōwa 9 | 昭和9 | ROC 23 | — |
| 1935 | Shōwa 10 | 昭和10 | ROC 24 | — |
| 1936 | Shōwa 11 | 昭和11 | ROC 25 | — |
| 1937 | Shōwa 12 | 昭和12 | ROC 26 | — |
| 1938 | Shōwa 13 | 昭和13 | ROC 27 | — |
| 1939 | Shōwa 14 | 昭和14 | ROC 28 | — |
| 1940 | Shōwa 15 | 昭和15 | ROC 29 | — |
| 1941 | Shōwa 16 | 昭和16 | ROC 30 | — |
| 1942 | Shōwa 17 | 昭和17 | ROC 31 | — |
| 1943 | Shōwa 18 | 昭和18 | ROC 32 | — |
| 1944 | Shōwa 19 | 昭和19 | ROC 33 | — |
| 1945 | Shōwa 20 | 昭和20 | ROC 34 | Japanese administration ends |
Why one family's records use two calendars
The household registration system in Taiwan was established in 1906 under Japanese administration, and registers were maintained continuously through 1945. Administration then changed, and subsequent entries were dated in ROC years instead.
The practical consequence for anyone tracing a family: a single register can contain both systems. A person born in Taishō 8 (1919) who died in ROC 55 (1966) has those two events recorded in two different year counts, roughly fifty years apart in reality but only forty-seven apart if you mistakenly read both numbers as the same kind of year.
The mistake that costs researchers the most time
A bare two- or three-digit year with no era name is ambiguous. "10" could be Meiji 10 (1877), Taishō 10 (1921), Shōwa 10 (1935) or ROC 10 (1921). Look for the era character immediately before the number — 明治, 大正, 昭和 or 民國 — before converting anything. If the era marker is missing or illegible, the surrounding entries usually establish which period the page belongs to.
A second trap: 1912 and 1926 are transition years. Meiji ended and Taishō began during 1912; Taishō ended and Shōwa began during 1926. A date in one of those years may be written under either era depending on the month, so treat both as approximate unless the full date is legible.
Obtaining the records
Japanese-era household registers are held by household registration offices (戶政事務所) in Taiwan. Applications generally require documents establishing your relationship to the people named. Requirements, fees and whether a relative or representative can apply on your behalf vary, so check with the relevant office or with Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior before travelling.
This page explains date formats only. It is not legal or genealogical advice, and it is not affiliated with any government agency.
Frequently asked questions
What does Shōwa 10 mean in Western years?
Shōwa 10 is 1935. Shōwa years begin at 1926, so the Western year is the Shōwa year plus 1925. Shōwa 1 is 1926 and Shōwa 20 is 1945, the last year of Japanese administration in Taiwan.
What era names appear on Taiwan household registers?
Registers created between 1895 and 1945 use the Japanese imperial eras Meiji (to 1912), Taishō (1912–1926) and Shōwa (from 1926). Records created after 1945 use ROC (Minguo) years, where the Western year is the ROC year plus 1911.
Why do dates on the same family's records use two different systems?
Because the record-keeping authority changed. Entries made before 1945 are dated in Japanese imperial eras; entries made after 1945 are dated in ROC years. A single household register can therefore contain both, and a person's birth may be recorded in one system and their death in the other.
How do I convert a Meiji, Taishō or Shōwa date?
Meiji year plus 1867, Taishō year plus 1911, Shōwa year plus 1925. The month and day never change between these calendars and the Western calendar, so only the year needs converting.
Are these records written in Japanese?
Registers from 1895 to 1945 are written in Japanese. Names of people and places are usually written in Chinese characters, which makes them readable to someone who reads Chinese, but the surrounding administrative vocabulary and the dates are Japanese.
Related
- Japanese era converter — convert any Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa or Reiwa date
- ROC year converter — convert ROC (Minguo) years, including "Before ROC" for pre-1912 dates
- Reading dates on your ARC — the same ROC year format on modern residence documents
- The Y1C problem — when ROC year 100 broke two-digit date fields in 2011
- Chinese zodiac birth year — why January and early-February birthdays get the previous animal
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