Japan's textbook, Controversial in Asia Options

[azn_r4pf4n]

Experts slam Japan's incendiary school book
By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-04-07 06:35

Chinese historians met in Beijing yesterday to express their anger over a newly authorized Japanese history textbook.

The historians insisted action should be taken over the Japanese Government's apparently revisionist attitude toward history.

"The book places emphasis on pride in the nation, service to the nation and the obligation of national defence by glorifying the war and distorting historic facts," said Bu Ping, a researcher of Modern History Research at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He said that the basic reactionary and absurd nature of the new textbook is the same as one once used for military purposes before the war.

The textbook, he said, deified the Japanese monarchy and claimed that the Japanese are superior to other Asians.

"The book is dangerous and it will mobilize Japanese people and children to future war," he said.

The junior high school history textbook compiled by Japanese right-wing scholars received official approval from the Ministry of Education on Tuesday and will be offered for adoption in schools.

The textbook is an updated version of one published in 2001 which attracted strong protests from Beijing and Seoul.

Bu said the 2001 edition was adopted by only about 0.03 per cent of schools, which compilers considered a failure.

As the Japanese educational authority screens textbooks every four years, the compilers revised the book, however, the revisions do not eradicate the potential dangers of the textbook.

Bu said the goal of publishers was to gain a foothold in the market.

"They are planning a series of promotional activities and their aim is to increase the adoption rate to 10 per cent," Bu said.

Bu Ping and his fellow scholars from Japan and the Republic of Korea are now compiling a new history book aiming to put right mistakes made in the Japanese textbook.

The new book, named "A Common Book on the History of East Asian Countries," should go public this year and will be published simultaneously in three countries, Bu said.

Li Liangzhi, professor with Renmin University of China said it was not a coincidence that the Japanese Government chose to approve the textbook on Tuesday, which is Qingming Festival or "Tomb Sweeping Day" for Chinese.

Li said Qingming is the time when Chinese mourn their dead and many will commemorate the 35 million Chinese killed in the anti-Japanese war.

"Japan's approval of the book is simply an insult to the feelings of the Chinese people," he said.

Wang Xinhua, head of the Chinese People's Anti-Japanese Aggression War Memorial Hall said that, as the world in general is preparing to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the victory over fascism, Japan should consider its history and pursue the road of peace and development.

Wang said China has never conducted any anti-Japanese education. He said the exhibitions in the memorial hall commemorate the victims of war, arouse the conscience of humanity and look to a peaceful future.

"The Nanjing Massacre, which wiped out 300,000 Chinese lives, is a tragedy for the Chinese, which we want very much to forget about, however, the words and deeds of some Japanese politicians always remind us not to forget the past,"he said.

Pics:





+ credits ; chinadaily, bbc, aljazerra (english)


This is causin a lot of controversy in China and South Korea. What do you think about this event? I heard that some Chinese people might boycott the Japanese from this.

[gelionie]

(I'm Chinese)

We don't have any control over what the Japanese history textbooks say, but distorting historical facts is a BIG NO.

You can't imagine how many people were killed by the Japanese during when Japan invaded China... yet it's so sad that they turn it into something good.

I'm not trying to be racist, but it's just the same with Jews against Germans.

[racoons > you]

if this is gonna get controversial, then it needs to be moved to debate, really. (pfft im turning into such a back-seat mod... lol if it bothers the mods, pm me and i'll stop)

but i agree with niez... dont distort the facts.

[DaTru KataLYST]

Japan is at it again? Oh well, America to the rescue again.

But seriously, the distortion of history is only the victor's privilege (although immoral). Japan didn't even win, how dare they?

[rememberme]

they about to get more radiation, and infertility

[*jooleeah*]

(I'm Chinese)

We don't have any control over what the Japanese history textbooks say, but distorting historical facts is a BIG NO.

You can't imagine how many people were killed by the Japanese during when Japan invaded China... yet it's so sad that they turn it into something good.

I'm not trying to be racist, but it's just the same with Jews against Germans.

I agree, I can't believe they tried to turn something so horrible into something good.

[funbobby]

Babies on bayonets, wide spread rape and pillage and suicide bombers. Yeah real f**king great. I'm doing japanese studies and history at uni this september and really, the right wingers are taking precedence again; the first real time since the 30s. If the army gets in control again I'm going to get in there and spank some bottoms, I really will!

[DanielleMaria05]

Wow. i smell a debate...

anyway.. thats crazy

[*Solipsist*]

Aww man, that's gonna suck if they start attacking.
They'll totally own us with their Gundams and thingamabobs.

- Solipsist

[liloandstitchx3]

yeah i heard that when i was researching for my homework on the nanjing massacre.

[*islandgirl4eva*]

Solipsist - Hahahaha! OMG...my sides hurt. That was funny.

[gelionie]

It's getting worse and worse...
the people in Mainland China are boycotting Japanese goods and shops.

I just hope there won't be a war breaking out...

[kryzcoak47luv666]

Japan is at it again? Oh well, America to the rescue again.

lol, isn't that what always happens?
I do agree with the fact that you shouldn't change facts, opinions can be opinionated on, but facts are solid, and carved in stone.

Aww man, that's gonna suck if they start attacking.
They'll totally own us with their Gundams and thingamabobs.

- Solipsist

ROTFLMFAO!
wipes tear

This post has been edited by kryzcoak47luv666: Apr 12 2005, 05:07 AM

[Eryi]

the first pic has korean characters...

[Ballpointpencil]

There is always a spin and distortion that the victor puts in their textbooks. It isn't a new thing. Unless they actually changed facts, I can't fault them too badly as everyone does it.

Aww man, that's gonna suck if they start attacking.
They'll totally own us with their Gundams and thingamabobs.

- Solipsist

ROFFLE!

[Rachel]

but it's just the same with Jews against Germans.

I'm pretty sure it was the Germans against the Jews

And it is just awful that Japan is trying to forget it's past. At least Germany owned up to their mistakes.

[*Statistik*]

HEY LETS GO TO NORTH KOREA AND JAPAN AND KICK THOSE BAD ASS MOTHA f**kers AND NUCLEAR BOMB THEIR WHOLE COUNTRY AND KILL THEM. ALL. SLAY. and let us help south korea! f**k NORTH KOREA. f**k KIM SUNG IL THE NK PRESIDENT. GO BUSH.

wishes to south korea..im south korea..i dont give a crap about china..but i hate nk and japan..

[azn_r4pf4n]

HEY LETS GO TO NORTH KOREA AND JAPAN AND KICK THOSE BAD ASS MOTHA f**kers AND NUCLEAR BOMB THEIR WHOLE COUNTRY AND KILL THEM. ALL. SLAY. and let us help south korea! f**k NORTH KOREA. f**k KIM SUNG IL THE NK PRESIDENT. GO BUSH.

wow what the?? why are you putting north korea involved in this thread? haha

the first pic has korean characters...

b/c japan thinks their superior to all asian countries which is causing lots of controversy.

[to-devastate]

Ew. I love Japan. (although I'm Chinese) but I find that just wrong. Japan superior to other asians? Puh-leeze.

Aww man, that's gonna suck if they start attacking.
They'll totally own us with their Gundams and thingamabobs.

- Solipsist

[twisted_stripes]

The japanese no offense are weird. They are denying that WWII even happened or that they were involved. Even germany's textbooks, they are denying that they never made gas chambers.. hello!!! then what's auschwitz for? THEY CANT DENY IT U KNOW.

[azn_r4pf4n]

More pics of the protests:

+ credits ; soompi members chynagongju and Tamago86, bbc

[[o0p]]

slam books suck!

[toodlepops.]

They should'nt have distorted the facts.

[yukichan]

HEY LETS GO TO NORTH KOREA AND JAPAN AND KICK THOSE BAD ASS MOTHA f**kers AND NUCLEAR BOMB THEIR WHOLE COUNTRY AND KILL THEM. ALL. SLAY. and let us help south korea! f**k NORTH KOREA. f**k KIM SUNG IL THE NK PRESIDENT. GO BUSH.

wishes to south korea..im south korea..i dont give a crap about china..but i hate nk and japan..

i kind of take that really offensively...(sp?)u cant just nuke a country because of what the government did...im japanese...but what japan did is wrong..but if u think about humans, wouldnt some of them lie to make themselves look better?thats what i think...

i think this should be moved to debate...its starting to sound like a debate...

[azn_r4pf4n]

yeah go ahead. mods can feel free and move this to debate as they wish.

[gelionie]

Now it's more than just the Japan history textbooks.
This thing is getting really tense now. Neither sides are agreeing to apologize.

I'm kind of worried that it will get really serious.

[azn_r4pf4n]

mmhmmm.. the japanese already sent troops to guard the japanese embasy in china so it doesn't get hit by rocks like it did last time.

[innovation]

the chinese government is against the idea of japan having a permanent seat on the UNSC-- because they refuse, once again, to measure up to their war crimes, supposedly.

[azn_r4pf4n]

Protests are currently getting worser... *sighs*

+ source ; http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...10Mw&refer=asia

Anti-Japan Protesters March in Shanghai; U.S. Issues Warning
April 16 (Bloomberg) -- About 1,000 anti-Japan protesters gathered on Shanghai's riverfront Bund area for a march down one of the city's downtown streets.

At least 100 police were present but didn't intervene to stop the gathering crowd. The protesters were yelling anti- Japanese slogans and carrying banners denouncing Japan.

Japan and the U.S. yesterday warned their citizens in China to avoid public areas and steer clear of protests planned for a second weekend. The U.S. on embassy Web site in Beijing said the protests may spill to demonstrations against all foreigners in the country.

China-Japan relations have worsened the past month amid renewed disputes over possible oil-rich areas of the East China Sea, China's claims that new Japanese textbooks gloss over wartime atrocities and Japan's recent decision to join the U.S. in declaring Taiwan, which China claims as a province, a ``security concern.''

Shanghai television last night said there have been no demonstrations approved by the city. Chinese authorities in Beijing yesterday warned activists that unapproved protests were illegal, the South China Morning Post reported today.

The Chinese government earlier this week said last weekend's protests, in which rocks, bottles and eggs were thrown at Japanese diplomatic missions, shops and restaurants, were ``spontaneous.'' Public protests normally don't occur in China without at least tacit government approval.

Avoiding Confrontation

Japan's consulate in Shanghai yesterday sent a note to Japanese nationals telling them to be careful about their behavior and to avoid ``provocative'' remarks and actions, consulate spokesman Tomohiko Murakami said yesterday.

Chinese Web sites are calling for protests in the cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin and Wuhan today and tomorrow, after Japan's government said this week it would allow energy drilling in an ocean area claimed by both countries. China called the decision ``a serious provocation.''

The anti-Japan rallies are the biggest street protests in China since the U.S.-led NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade six years ago.

Chinese nationals have also protested Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

This weekend's protests will coincide with the arrival of Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura in Beijing tomorrow to discuss ties between the countries.

China and Japan are disputing each other's claims over areas of the East China Sea as competition for new energy sources mounts between Asia's two biggest economies.

Japan relies on overseas supplies for 99.7 percent of its oil. In China, demand for oil, gas and other natural resources has soared as the economy tripled in a decade to $1.6 trillion.

*edit*

a pic i found on msnbc

[F_L_I_P]

Aww man, that's gonna suck if they start attacking.
They'll totally own us with their Gundams and thingamabobs.

- Solipsist

Hahaha thats funny

-Phil-

[ikayto]

The Japanese during WWII did some pretty fed up shiz to East Asia. They raped thousands of women in the "rape of nanking" a city near china. They basically slaughtered the people in Manchuria North West of Korea, and did the same to the Koreans.

They shouldn't try to sugar coat what they did or else history would repeat itself. Japanese kids dont even know that it happened and that's not right. That's like Germany saying Hitler didn't kill many people in the death camps; can't sugar coat history.

[Azn Kid from NY]

dayum,...i've known about this textbook issue before....its wayy old news...Japans always been doing it for years and pissing off Korea and China....and finally its escalated to this point.....

Japan should just really change those textbooks...

[*kryogenix*]

(I'm Chinese)

We don't have any control over what the Japanese history textbooks say, but distorting historical facts is a BIG NO.

You can't imagine how many people were killed by the Japanese during when Japan invaded China... yet it's so sad that they turn it into something good.

I'm not trying to be racist, but it's just the same with Jews against Germans.

Are you trying to say China's censorship is any better?

There is a great deal of hypocrisy on China's part. Japan's actions were terrible (in fact, my grandmother has experienced Japanese Soldiers' cruelty first hand when they killed her parents), but to say China (or north korea for that matter) is any better, is a flat out lie.

[PinoyOtaku]

wishes to south korea..im south korea..i dont give a crap about china..but i hate nk and japan..

I guess you should give a crap soon, comrade...looking at what's taking place on the other side of the Yellow/West Sea esp. economic-wise.

There is a great deal of hypocrisy on China's part. Japan's actions were terrible (in fact, my grandmother has experienced Japanese Soldiers' cruelty first hand when they killed her parents), but to say China (or north korea for that matter) is any better, is a flat out lie.

Again I'm agreeing with ya: Great Cultural Revolution smell familiar to anyone? Chinese, Japanese, heck I was reading a Philippine history book that seemed to sugarcoat blotches of our history! Hiding away the injustices from the past won't benefit us in the future...