Okinawa vice governor calls on Education Ministry to retract textbook screening policy

   Okinawa Vice Governor Asato Katsuko and representatives of municipalities and prefectural and municipal assemblies in Okinawa visited the Diet and the Education Ministry on July 4 to submit a statement calling for a withdrawal of the ministry instruction to delete from history textbooks the account that the Japanese Army forced residents to commit “mass suicide” during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

   The statement was signed by six Okinawan representatives, including Governor Nakaima Hirokazu, Prefectural Assembly Chair Nakazato Toshinobu, and the chair of the association of Okinawan municipal heads.

   At a press conference, Vice Governor Asato said, “We made representations on behalf of all residents in Okinawa. We want the central government to acknowledge the historical facts.”

   Prefectural Assembly Chair Nakazato Toshinobu said Education Ministry officials simply told them as usual: “This ministry cannot interfere in the textbook screening council.” Nakazato said, “I was personally disappointed because I was expecting to receive a more positive answer.”

   The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and all 41 municipal assemblies in the prefecture have adopted resolutions calling for withdrawal of the ministry instruction.                                     - Akahata, July 5, 2007