The Treaty of Shimonoseki ends the First Sino-Japanese War

Background. The First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) was fought primarily for influence over Korea. After seven months of Japanese military gains and the loss of key ports, the Qing government sued for peace in February 1895. The peace conference took place from March 20 to April 17, 1895, in Shimonoseki. During these negotiations, Japanese leaders Itō Hirobumi and Mutsu Munemitsu sought to reduce Qing power on the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan islands.

Negotiations. The peace conference involved Japanese Prime Minister Itō Hirobumi, Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu, and Qing Plenipotentiary Li Hongzhang. On March 24, 1895, Li was shot in the left cheek by an assassin during negotiations in Shimonoseki. Li refused to cede Taiwan, arguing it had not been a battlefield during the war. However, the treaty was signed on April 17, 1895, ending the conflict as a clear victory for Japan.

Terms. The treaty superseded the Sino-Japanese Friendship and Trade Treaty of 1871. It included the cession of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan. These cessions met with strong resistance from the local populace, and the islands were not taken over by Japan until October 1895. The treaty also involved the renunciation of claims on Korea, though specific details of this renunciation are not explicitly detailed in the provided passages beyond the general context of the war's outcome.

Aftermath. Following the signing, Japan successfully invaded Taiwan. The treaty's terms regarding the Liaodong Peninsula were later modified due to the Triple Intervention of April 23, 1895. In November 1895, Japan returned control of the territory and withdrew its claim on the Liaodong Peninsula in exchange for an increased war indemnity from China of 30 million Taels.