Suginami Ward again chooses history textbook praising Japan's past war of aggression

Japan Press Weekly

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

Suginami Ward again chooses history textbook praising Japan's past war of aggression

The board of education in Tokyo's Suginami Ward on August 12 decided again to use a history textbook praising Japan's past war of aggression at the ward's junior high schools from April 2010.

The textbook in question was edited by rightist historians in line with the Japan Society for History Textbook Reform and was published by Fusosha. The board's first acceptance of the Fusosha textbook was in 2005.

It distorts history by justifying the Pacific War, which it calls the "Greater East Asia War," as a war for survival and self-defense.

At the regular session of the five-member Suginami Board of Education, Yasumoto Yumi was the only member to oppose the adoption of the Fusosha textbook because of its weakness in viewing Japan in the context of world history, giving too little space for postwar history, and because of strong objections from teachers.

The board chair Okura Yunosuke asked if opinions were given by all the teachers concerned. The vote was taken by majority.

On the same day, parents, teachers, and researchers opposing the board's decision to adopt the pro-aggression history textbook for a second time, held a protest rally demanding that the decision be revoked.

The 120-people rally issued a statement of protest demanding that the adoption be withdrawn and that the procedure be held again. The rally decided to strengthen the movement.

Five people who attended the regular board of education meeting gave details of the meeting. One participant said. "The board chair spoke high-handedly. Except for one member, the other members made me doubt their earnestness in properly educating children".

Ishiyama Hisao, standing steering committee member of the National Network for Children and Textbooks in the 21st Century gave a speech on recent moves around the pro-aggression history textbook.

Some in the audience called for developing public opinion toward changing the system of adopting a textbook into one in which opinions of teachers will be respected, and that increased public opinion won't allow a similar decision to be made in the future.

- Akahata, August 13, 2009