Editing History of Taiwan (section)

=== Assimilation movement ===
In 1914, [[Itagaki Taisuke]] briefly led a Taiwan assimilation movement as a response to appeals from influential Taiwanese spokesmen. In December 1914, Itagaki formally inaugurated the Taiwan Dōkakai, an assimilation society. Within a week, over 3,000 Taiwanese and 45 Japanese residents joined the society. After Itagaki left later that month, leaders of the society were arrested and its Taiwanese members detained or harassed. In January 1915, the Taiwan Dōkakai was disbanded.{{sfn|Rubinstein|1999|p=219}}

Japanese colonial policy sought to strictly segregate the Japanese and Taiwanese population until 1922.{{sfn|Rubinstein|1999|p=220–221}} Taiwanese students who moved to Japan for their studies were able to associate more freely with Japanese and took to Japanese ways more readily than their island counterparts. However full assimilation was rare.{{sfn|Rubinstein|1999|p=230}}

An attempt to fully Japanize the Taiwanese people was made during the ''kōminka'' period (1937–45). The reasoning was that only as fully assimilated subjects could Taiwan's inhabitants fully commit to Japan's war and national aspirations.{{sfn|Rubinstein|1999|p=240}} The ''kōminka'' movement was generally unsuccessful and few Taiwanese became "true Japanese" due to the short time period and large population. In terms of acculturation under controlled circumstances, it can be considered relatively effective.{{sfn|Rubinstein|1999|p=242}}