OTL Integration of Taiwan into becoming part of the Japanese Empire was progressing smoothly until the end of WW2 interrupted it quite rudely.
So, is there any way for Japan to have kept Taiwan postwar with a POD as it says on the tin?
Ah, this brings back memories. "Modern day Japanese Taiwan" was my first ever thread on this site. Sadly, that thread degenerated into an argument over Taiwanese independence (I strongly back the pan-green position). I hope this one fairs better.
I think it is possible for Taiwan to turn into normal Japanese prefectures. The easiest way is simply to avoid the Pacific War altogether. In WWII, the Allies were going to accept nothing less than total and unconditional surrender of Japan and Germany, so that makes it impossible for Japan to keep Taiwan.
After 1947, I think most Taiwanese would have been more than happy to go back under Japanese rule, especially if independence or US administration was out of the question. Witness the common graffiti at that time: "The dogs (Japanese) have left, the pigs (Chinese) have arrived", and "at least the dogs kept order/respected property". Unfortunately, Taiwan was much more developed at that stage than almost any area in China. The KMT stripped down everything of value and sent it to China to feed the war effort. The US did not stop them, because the KMT winning the Chinese Civil War was more important than what Taiwanese people wanted.
OOC: Now, in OTL my Grandfather (more than 80 years old now) was a young man during WW2, and during the latter stages of the war, boarded a transport to Japan to Study. His transport was nearly sunk by an American Submarine, and later he stayed in Kure (Thankfully no instant sunshine for him). It was a miracle he survived. He had to return after the War.
That story got me thinking.
That's a very interesting story. Thank you for sharing it. I have thought before that, if I had a lot of money, the first thing I would do is to pay researchers to cover all of Taiwan and record oral history interviews with the elderly. The 1937-1945 period is so interesting, and a vital piece of Taiwanese history. I worry that soon, it will be lost forever.
Hmmm...
It´s intriguing. Me thinks China would make lots of noise about it.
Could more colonists go to Taiwan/Taiwan be conquered earlier. Wonder what the demographics were...
Wikipedia gives a Taiwanese population of 6,940,000 (approx.) in 1945. Of that, 93.3% were NOT Japanese. That category includes ethnic Taiwanese (the vast majority, obviously), but also aboriginal peoples, and small numbers of Koreans.