1.4

Context of Taiwan

Taiwan was Japan’s first colony and can be viewed as the first step in implementing their “Southern Expansion Doctrine, Nanshin-ron 南進論,” of the late 19th century. Japanese intentions were to turn Taiwan into a “model colony” with much effort to improve the island’s economy, public works, industry, cultural Japanization, and to support the necessities of Japanese military aggression in the Asia-Pacific. One of the basic needs is rice. Through colonial coercion and the development of agricultural science, Japan succeeded in making Taiwan a “rice colony.”