This paper aims to examine how Japan's medical authorities explored a flexible way of border health control against cholera at the end of the 19th century. Since quarantine measures provoked diplomatic tensions with neighbouring countries, the Japanese government considered implementing a scheme of medical inspection of vessels from infected ports. However, Japanese geographical conditions seemed unsuitable for this measure. As a result, a permanent border control was established on the one

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... and, on the other hand, bacteriological examinations were carried out within the territory. This exploration of flexible border control, which comprised the domestic realm, aimed to set up a reliable outbreak alert network, but cholera epidemics revealed the lack of material conditions of this system. From the turn of the century, the authority began to seek more technical solutions.