History textbook praising war of aggression passes screening

The Education and Science Ministry on April 3 announced that it approved the history textbook edited by the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, drawing severe criticisms in Japan as well as from China, South Korea and other Asian countries.

Although the screening officials requested the textbook authors to change descriptions in 137 passages, the textbook maintained its description of Japan's war of aggression as "inspiration to the Asian people." The 137 opinions set forward by the ministry concerning a single textbook is extremely high in number compared to 13 to 41 opinions on 7 other history textbooks.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on April 3 published a statement criticizing the education ministry for approving the textbook. He criticized the textbook for lacking remorse for Japan's aggression against other Asian countries and for continuing to praise it.

He criticized it also for contradicting the present Constitution by carrying the full text of the prewar Imperial Rescript on Education.

JCP Ichida also said the government approval of the textbook violates the international promise which the Japanese government made when it officially expressed remorse about Japan's war of aggression against Asia, and will undermine friendly relations with these countries.

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In the seven other textbooks, description of atrocities committed by the Japanese Army was substantially cut from the original drafts submitted for approval. Only one textbook gives an explicit description of "military comfort women" who were forced into serving Japanese soldiers.

In social studies textbooks for primary schools, the ministry instructed all the five applicants that they should clearly state that the law was enacted to make the Hinomaru the national flag and the song Kimigayo the national anthem.

When the law was enacted in August 1999, the then education ministry, facing increasing opposition to the imposition of the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo," published a statement that the ministry would not change the previous guidance even under the law. The Education and Science Ministry's latest strong-arm administration reneges on this promise. (end)