Grassroots movement is developing against adoption of 'Society' textbooks

For preventing the adoption of the textbooks written by the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, a grassroots movement is developing throughout Japan.

In Kanagawa Prefecture, the Kanagawa Prefectural Association for a Democratic System of School Textbooks Adoption is calling on boards of education and school principals to listen to teachers' opinions and make a fair and democratic judgment in selecting textbooks.

In Chiba Prefecture, the Children and Textbook Tokatsu Network 21, which covers six cities and two towns in the Tokatsu region of Chiba Prefecture, is saying that the falsehood about Japan's aggression in China conflicts with Kashiwa City's international exchange policy to develop friendly ties with Chengde City of Hebei Province in China.

Local councils in charge of textbook adoption are currently in a decision-making process. The councils recommend one textbook for each subject to local boards of education, and the boards of education will make the final decision.

There used to be a process of reflecting teachers' opinions in the council's screening, but it has been abolished in many prefectures under pressure from the "Society," the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Komei Party. (end)