Block the dangerous textbook - Akahata editorial, April 4, 2001

The government, which has screened junior high school textbooks for use from next year, has approved a history textbook which glorifies Japan's war of aggression in WWII. The textbook was authored by the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform.

This is a serious matter affecting Japan's future and the principles of democracy.

Generally speaking, school textbooks may reflect authors' personal academic assertions and display originality.

However, the problem of the textbook edited by the "Society" is not just a matter of "personality." The point is that it glorifies the war of aggression, a matter that cannot be overlooked as a mere school textbook question.

The society's textbook calls the Pacific War the "Great East Asian War," stressing that "Japan's idea of war" was intended to help Asian countries achieve "independence and economic development in an alliance of nations."

Also, the textbook affirmatively states that "in the initial stages of the Pacific War, the Japanese Army's defeat of the Allied powers inspired Asian peoples who had long been under the colonial rule of Western countries." It also states that "Japan's southward advance helped accelerate the independence of Asian countries which had been under the colonial rule of European powers for many years."

It is also extraordinary that the "Society"'s textbook carries the full text of the Imperial Rescript on Education, and describes it as the "backbone of the personality of modern Japanese people," which is not true. The Imperial Rescript on Education served as a tool to indoctrinate the people to accept the "morals" as "subjects of the Emperor," a symbol of the education which supported Japan's war of aggression.

In both Japan and the rest of the world, postwar politics started by recognizing that in the Second World War, Japan, Germany, and Italy formed an alliance to wage a war of aggression, and by accepting criticism of and remorse for it. The Preamble to Japan's Constitution and the United Nations Charter state it clearly.

Based on this remorse for the war of aggression, the Imperial Rescript on Education was abolished after the end of WWII because it was incompatible with the new Constitution and the Fundamental Law on Education.

An attitude that ignores this historical fact will threaten democracy, which is tantamount to losing the right for Japan to play an active role in the international community. In writing the textbook, the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform openly rejects this basic premise. It is not worth calling a textbook for children who are Japan's torchbearers today and into the future.

In its relations with other Asian nations, the government has made clear that Japan disapproves of such textbooks that trample down Asian people's sentiments.

In 1982, when the textbook wording for Japan's acts during WWII was the issue, Japan was much criticized internationally for using the term "advance" instead of "aggression."

The then chief cabinet secretary commented, "Japan is aware that it is responsible for the tremendous suffering and damage to the people of Asia, including Korea and China, and expresses its remorse for it and determination to not repeat the same mistakes." He went on to say that this remorse "should be respected in school education and textbook screening." The government then added provisions concerning neighboring countries to the criteria of textbook screening.

Contrary to what Japan has internationally promised

The government approval of the "Society"'s textbook clearly runs counter to the international commitment the Japanese government has made. This is why the responsibility of the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic, Komei, and New Conservative parties is great.

Local governments are about to choose textbooks for schools in their districts from those which have been approved by the government.

Advocates of the textbook in question, including LDP Dietmembers, are eager to press local boards of education to choose the textbook edited by the "Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform." This is a serious move that ignores the intention of local schools and teachers.

We call for public opinion and movements everywhere in Japan to stand firm against the textbook which glorifies Japan's war of aggression, and to prevent it from being used in classrooms. (end)