In 1898, Shinpei GOTO assumed the post of Chief of Home Affairs under the direction of Gentaro KODAMA, the governor-general, and GOTO established Japan's approach to its rule of Taiwan through the effective use of a "carrot and stick" policy; that is, he promoted the modernization of Taiwan by carrying out land reform, providing utilities that were essential to people's livelihoods, eradicating opium addiction, making school educational more accessible to all, and developing industries such as sugar manufacturing, while at the same time cracking down on those who opposed colonial rule.
兒玉源太郎総督の下で1898年に民政長官に就任した後藤新平は、土地改革、ライフラインの整備、アヘン中毒患者の撲滅、学校教育の普及、製糖業などの産業の育成を行うことにより台湾の近代化を推進し、一方で植民地統治に対する反逆者には取り締まりをするという『飴と鞭』の政策を有効に用いることで植民地支配の体制を確立した。