Japan's textbook, Controversial in Asia Options

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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.

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+ 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.

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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.

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a pic i found on msnbc