In the process of Taiwan's modernization, the Japanese technocrats in the many departments of Taiwan Sotokofu (Governor-General Office) played a very important role. Especially after Goto Shimpei became the Civil Administrator, the leading position of the technocrats was firmly established. The key figure in the development of Taiwan's railway was the headmaster of the Technical Division of the Railway Bureau-Hasegawa Kinsuke. Although he returned to Japan and was promoted as the Chief of Eastern Railway Management Division of the Railway Department shortly after the North-south Railway had been completed in 1908, his influence in Taiwan was far and widenot only in terms of the construction of the North-south Railway, but also more importantly in terms of the groundwork he had laid in personnel-allocation, policy-making, and system-establishment for later management and development.