In 1940 the colonial authorities launched a "name change movement" in the opening volley of a campaign to assimilate the Taiwanese people as loyal subjects of the emperor. The 15-year-old Chien responded by changing his name to Shigematsu Takenaga.
昭和十五年（一九四○年），順應皇民化運動，十五歲的簡茂松改名為竹永茂松。