Taiwan, where Netaji went missing, offers to open its national archives to 'rediscover his legacy'

Taiwan, which was under Japanese occupation in the 1940s, was the last country where Subhas Chandra Bose was seen alive.

School girls pay floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary on Jan 23, 2022 (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Taiwan, where Subhas Chandra Bose went missing, has offered to open its national archives and database to "rediscover" the legacy of Netaji. 

Taiwan, which was under Japanese occupation in the 1940s, was the last country where India's illustrious freedom fighter was seen alive and the consensus is that he died there in a plane crash in 1945.

"We have national archives and several databases and we can help Indian friends rediscover that we will find more about Netaji and also his legacy which has a huge influence over Taiwan in the 1930s and 1940s", Mumin Chen, Deputy representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Center, said at a virtual event on Saturday (January 22, 2022).

According to various accounts, after the plane crash in August 1945, Netaji was taken to Army Hospital Nanmon Branch in Taipei where he breathed his last. The hospital, notably, is the present-day Taipei City Hospital Heping Fuyou Branch.

"Lot of young historians are conducting researches with South East Asia, even with India. A lot of historical documents, evidence on Netaji, also the Indian independence movement, those documents, archives are in Taiwan. Right now, a very few Indian scholars know this," the Taiwanese deputy envoy said.

He added, "Taiwan and India should re-examine and rediscover the common history of Indo-Pacific since we have historical connections."

So far, a large part of the account of Netaji after the crash has been based on Japanese accounts. The Government of Japan has declassified two files relating to Netaji and his ashes are purported to be kept at the Renkō-Ji temple in Tokyo.

Pointing that Taiwan had such historical connections with India and with Netaji, the Taiwanese Diplomat in Delhi said, "Even Chiang Kai-shek in the 1940s had written about Netaji in his diary. He felt sympathy... decision to cooperate with Japanese fight for independence, is understandable."

Chiang Kai Shek is said to have fled to Taiwan from China in 1949 and then ruled the island with an iron fist till his death in 1975. He was known for the strong resistance he gave to Japanese forces during World War II. 

Subhas Chandra Bose had sought Japanese help to overthrow the British rule from India and had raised the Indian National Army with Tokyo's help. 

The development comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiling a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate on Sunday evening. This year, notably, marks Subhas Chandra Bose's 125th birth anniversary and the Indian Government has announced January 23 to be celebrated as "Parakram Diwas".