Mochiji Rokusaburo, an elite graduated from the Tokyo Imperial University, served as a senior official both in the Taiwan Government-General from 1900 to 1910 and in the Korean Government-General from 1912 to 1920. This paper is about the colonial recognition and the theory of colonial policy of Mochiji based on his experience of colonial officials.
Mochiji attributed the purpose of colony to the economic benefit and derived the practical policies in the light of that purpose. He opposed the assimilation policy which focused on teaching ‘Japanese’ in Taiwan education, but rather laid stress on the acquisition of scientific knowledge and practical training. In addition, the civil engineering works in Korea were actively carried forward since they are very significant in constructing the infrastructure to generate economic benefits from the colony.
Anti-assimilation, one of the main features of his theory of colonial policy, was extended to the principle of self-government, in the face of the Korean Independence Movement. Mochiji asserted that granting much more ideological freedom and some rights is required to Chosun people along with the strong suppression as a strategy dealing with Korean Independence Movement. Accordingly, he also insisted that self-government should be introduced with establishment of Choson-Congress as its central momentum. In this theoretical change of thee colonial policy were exerted the historical understanding about colony and prompt grasp of the world current tendency.