Power was highly centralized with the Taiwan governor wielding the public administration, administration of justice, legislation and military, therefore it was called 'Do Kotei', the local emperor (later, the military power was transferred to the Taiwanese army [Japanese army] so the civil officers could assume the governer).
台湾総督は台湾の行政・司法・立法から軍事までを一手に掌握しうる強大な権限を持ったため「土皇帝」と呼ばれた程である（後に軍事権が台湾軍(日本軍)司令官に移譲されたことにより、文官の総督就任が可能になる）。