Japan Press Weekly

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2020 September 16 - 29 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Fight by teachers and parents lead to drop in number of municipalities selecting far-right publisher’s textbooks

It has come to light that compared with four years ago, the number of municipalities which chose a history textbook published by a rightist, war-glorifying publisher, Ikuhosha, for use in junior high schools from April 2021 decreased to six from 21. The number of districts choosing Ikuhosha’s civics textbook also dropped to four from 19.

Tenacious resistance by teachers, parents, and concerned citizens bore fruit.

The selection of school textbooks takes place nationwide every four years. In 2001, Tokyo and Ehime became the first prefectures to adopt war-praising textbooks published by Ikuhosha’s predecessor. In this year’s selection, however, these two prefectures decided not to use any of Ikuhosha’s textbooks. Yamaguchi Prefecture, ex-Prime Minister Abe’s hometown, newly joined a group of municipalities choosing Ikuhosha’s history textbook.

In the quadrennial adoption of school textbooks, the Liberal Democratic Party has used its political influence. The party, for example, instructed its members in local assemblies to conduct discussions on the need for the adoption of Ikuhosha’s textbooks. Meanwhile, in each district, teachers, parents, and concerned citizens have tenaciously worked to oppose education that inculcates in children a view supporting the war-glorifying forces’ call for turning Japan into a war-fighting nation.

The latest estimate released by the civil group, “Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21” showed that with a deep cutback in the selection, Ikuhosha will face a drastic reduction in the use of its history and civics textbooks in junior high schools from the current 72,500 to 12,000 and from 61,200 to 5,000, respectively.

Past related article:
> Newly-authorized schoolbooks colored by far-right Abe regime [ March 19, 2016]