'Textbook network' publishes pamphlet criticizing war-praising textbook

In an effort to prevent the government from approving a high school history textbook that justifies Japan's war of aggression, the Children and Textbook Japan Network 21 recently published a pamphlet to make the dangerous nature of the textbook known.

The Japanese history textbook was published by Meisei-sha, Inc., which is inseparable from the Japan Conference which calls for the revision of the Japanese Constitution. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology approved it last April for use in high schools. The publisher is trying hard to get the war-praising textbook adopted this summer by as many schools as possible.

The pamphlet points out that the contents of this textbook are exactly the same as the much criticized war-praising textbook which was published last year for junior high schools.

Meisei-sha's textbook was apparently designed to encourage citizens into war cooperation with the Diet discussion on the wartime legislation in mind, the pamphlet stated.

The Children and Textbook Japan Network 21 hopes that many people will read its pamphlet, and 30,000 copies were sold in high schools and urban neighborhoods. (end)