Education Ministry approval of war-glorifying history textbook draws criticism

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Education Ministry approval of war-glorifying history textbook draws criticism

The Ministry of Education on April 9 approved a history textbook that justifies Japan's past war of aggression and its colonial rule for use in junior high schools for the 2010 school year.

The textbook, written by a group led by the leader of the rightist "Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform", describes the past Japanese war of aggression as a war for self-defense that helped Asian countries achieve independence.

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ishii Ikuko issued a statement on the same day in protest against the government approval of the controversial textbook (see separate item).

Thirty-four other organizations published a joint appeal titled, "Stop the 'dangerous textbook' from being used on children!"

The appeal criticized the textbook for praising Japan's war of aggression "as a justifiable war for self-defense that contributed to the liberation of Asian countries" and for asserting that the war was waged "without any need to have regrets about Japan's colonial rule in Asia."

Besides, the appeal pointed out that the textbook does not touch on Japan's past wrongdoings against the people of Asia as well as any damage the Japanese people suffered from its militarism. Instead, the textbook in question focuses on the long reign of the Emperor throughout Japanese history and has almost nothing to say about common people's history.

These 34 organizations called for a grass-roots movement in opposition to this textbook.

- Akahata, April 10, 200