     Although the student groups evolving in Japan during this period were numerous and Taiwanese students were no doubt involved with many of them, there are several major groups that can be closely associated with the activities of Taiwanese students in Japan. These groups did not all evolve independently of each other--the failure of one group often precipitated the development of another. Factionalism within groups and reactions to pressure from colonial authorities also influence the fluid nature of the organizations. Several members of the groups were involved with two or more at the same time. The most striking example of the overlap of the organizations is embodied in the activities of Lin Xiantang, who served as leader of all of the major organizations, in different capacities.

     In March, 1920, the New People's Society (Shinminkai) was organized by Taiwanese students in Tokyo. The group was supported (and funded) by the wealthy Taiwanese landholder Lin Xiantang, who served as president. Originally, the New People's Society sought to reform the policy and powers of Governor-General and to draw attention to the conditions in Taiwan through the publication of the monthly magazine: Taiwan Seinen (Taiwan Youth). The magazine was written both in Chinese and in Japanese.

     Taiwanese students submitted 15 petitions to the Imperial Diet in Japan between the Years of 1921 in 1934, demanding the establishment of a parliament in Taiwan. Many of the people involved in the petitioning came from the New People's Society. In 1923 the more active embers of the Society branched off to form the League for the establishment of a Formosa Parliament (Taiwan Gikai Kisei Domei Kai), which essentially replacing the Society. The - 17 - league alternately failed to elicit cooperation from the Diet since the Governor-General of Taiwan; Den Kenjiro perceived their demands as a whole American step in "transforming the island into an independent colony, not dissimilar to the England's Australia or Canada." Japanese officials began to clamp down on the Taiwanese involved with the resistance movement. Lin Xiantang was forced to withdraw from political activities, faced with the government threats of liquidation of his financial assets tied up with the bank of Formosa.

     Petitionaders in Japan worked in cooperation with or several organizations: the Taiwan Youth Association (Taiwan Seinenkai) in Tokyo, in the Taiwan Cultural Association (Taiwan Bunka Kyokai) in Taiwan. In 1927, the Taiwan Cultural Association splits into two factions: the leftist and moderates.

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