Japan Must
Correct History Textbook
One nation’s history can no longer be distorted
against mutual relations of another nation’s history. It can be neither
concealed nor diminished from what had happened in the past, either good or bad.
Especially in textbooks, it should be clear about the facts and have fundamental
courtesy based on human rights. However, Japan distorted its history textbook, once again
whitewashing wartime atrocities against Korea and China. It
aroused anger externally and created problems internally. To restore foreign
relations among neighboring countries, to recover nationwide educational
credibility, and to behave prudently for human rights, Japan must
disclose wartime atrocities in its history textbook.
Recently, Chinese students were protesting
against Japan’s proposal of a
permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council because
Japan reformed its history
textbook to whitewash wartime atrocities against China
(China-Japan Logrolling). In fact, there is no mention of the victims about
300,000 civilian mass killings, Nanjing Massacre and the issue of comfort women
raped by Japanese troops during World War II (Takahashi). According to research
by Dr. Hirofumi Hayashi, a professor at Kanto Gakuin
University, comfort women
included Japanese, Koreans, Chinese (including Taiwan-born and Overseas
Chinese), Malays, Thais, Filipinos, Indonesians, Burmese, Vietnamese, Indians,
Eurasians, Dutch, and natives of the Pacific islands. Estimates of the number of
comfort women during the war vary widely, ranging from 20,000 to 300,000
(“Japanese Society”).
In depth analysis of the revised history
edition, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University Seo Jung-seok, joint chairman of
Alliance for Asian Peace and History Education, said that “the revised textbook
is more subtle and skillful than the previous edition in terms of system and
descriptions but also potentially more dangerous to neighboring nations”
(Revised Japanese Textbook). The revised edition refers to the Nanjing Massacre
as an “incident,” and to women forced to prostitute in military brothels as
“comfort women,” and it de-emphasizes the subject of the slaughter and
atrocities (Miyazaki). Also, these subtle language usages
illustrate Bacon’s “The Idols of the Marketplace” which states, “words react on
the understanding; and this it is that has rendered philosophy and the sciences
sophistical and inactive” (427). Japan manipulates the words for its
vantage in order to diminish the impact of wartime atrocities against a number
of victims of neighboring countries. Thus, Japan must state
these issues in their history textbook to restore foreign
relations.
While neighboring countries claim Japanese
history distortions, Japan
also faces internal bias between right-wing publisher Fusosha, endorsed by
Japan’s Education Ministry,
and the Japanese Teachers Union (Miyazaki). Takamori Akinori, director of the
right-leaning Japanese Society for Textbook Reform, who wrote one of the revised
textbooks, assertes, “We are not planning to plant ill-will toward China and
Korea in our children” and added, “We just want to teach the children about
Japanese history with a balanced textbook” (qtd. in Prusher). However, union's
headquarters Fujikawa who did not show any respect on revised editions stated,
"Textbooks, I believe, need to be rich in information, to review important
issues over and over again. The textbooks being made now are doing the opposite"
(qtd. in Prusher). Japan’s government created extreme
nationwide controversy between teachers and the Educational Ministry, disrupted
history education system and lost its credibility.
In 1997, Japan’s
government formed a conservative organization, Japanese Society of History
Textbook Reform, and promoted a more sympathetic view of Japanese history
(Takahashi). Also, it forced a publisher to rewrite a history textbook to better
reflect the country’s wartime past (Hartill). For the educational concerns,
Japan’s government illustrates Bacon’s “The Idols of the Theater” which states,
“plainly impressed and received into the mind from the play-books of
philosophical systems and the perverted rules of demonstration” (429).
Japan eliminated and distorted the
principles of wartime atrocities in its history textbooks so that students can
not disparage the nation’s past. In order for Japan to gain
trust from its citizens, students need to be taught history accurately. Thus,
Japan must correct the distortion
forced by the government in the history textbook to recover nationwide
educational credibility.
For Humanitarianism and War Project,
Independent Policy Research Group reviews the way the international community
responds to various conflicts. In opposing viewpoint for human rights, William
Ratliff, the author of “Human rights are often defined inconsistently,” points
out to Amnesty International and Asia Watch concerning Japan’s crimes in China
during World War II stating, “[H]uman rights groups must seek the truth”
(Ratliff). Moreover, the Projects Director for the Five College
Center for East Asian Studies, Kathleen
W. Masalski indicated, “International Scholars’ Appeal Concerning The
2002-Edition Japanese History Textbook” from Center of Research and Documentation on Japan’s War
Responsibility (National Clearinghouse). It stated that Japan’s new editions are “unfit as a teaching
tool because it negates both the truth about Japan’s record in colonialism and war and the
values that will contribute to a just and peaceful Pacific and World community”
(Center of
Research). Also, Harry
Wary, a professor of history at Illinois State University, who specializes in the history
of modern Japanese education stated, “[T]he textbooks of 1933-1938 proclaimed a
more assertive, exclusive, and totalitarian nationalism” (285).
Japan imprudently neglected human
rights against the global community.
For the past two decades, South Korea and China have been particularly advice
Japan of the need for a
balanced portrayal of Japan’s role in the Asia-Pacific
region after World War II. After reviewing the revision in 2001, both countries
have disputed 137 accounts of sensitive issues including Japan’s colonial rule of Korea and the occupation of Nanjing (“Japanese
History”). Nonetheless, Japan’s government refused to revise
the controversial issues and replied that it would not interfere in decisions
made by an Education Ministry council unless “errors of historical face” are
discovered (Zielenziger). Japanese textbooks never treated the Najing Massacre
in anything but a cursory manner, and Tokyo has never taken responsibility exposing
human rights (Marquand). Japan’s government demonstrated Machiavelli’s
“Praised or Blamed” methods that Japan did not care about human rights
either internationally or domestically but tried to achieve her statehood (40).
Furthermore, it shows Japan’s
government internal and external policies irony that Japan proposed
to be one of representatives of United Nations which emphasize human rights, yet
distorted her history textbook against human rights standards.
History is no longer simply the past itself.
The word ‘history’ comes from the Greek ‘to know’” (US Dept. of Education). A
history textbook is an important educational resource for generations to come.
Students will learn from it not only how to be a good citizen but also how to
respect others in global community. Also, studying history is not only obtaining
a branch of knowledge that chronologically records past events, but also
achieving the most essential knowledge because it is the complete story of human
endeavor (US Dept. of Education). True stories about people and events change
the life of mankind. While a handful of Ph.D. programs in world history started
up, high schools started taking their cue that "[P]eople are finally realizing
the importance of knowledge of world history in America's schools," says Dr. Dunn
(qtd. in Prusher). Over the past two decades almost every state has added world
history in high school curriculum and now, many states require students to earn
credit in a world history course to graduate from high school (NCES).
Furthermore, some states test world history on state assessments (Bain). For
awareness of human rights in global community, Japan must
neither distort the wartime atrocities nor insist on a nation’s favoritism
against other countries, but for fact, for world history accuracy.
Thus, Japan must correct its history
textbooks not only for restoring foreign relations and a trustworthy education
system, but also for recognizing the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family for the foundation of
freedom, justice and peace in the world
(OHCHR).
Works sited
Bacon, Francis. “The Four Idols.” Jacobus
417-433.
Bain, Robert B. “NAEP 12th Grade World History
Assessment: Issues and Options.”
The National Assessment Governing Board. 14 May
2004. U of Michigan. 21 May 2005 .
Center of
Research and Documentation on
Japan’s War Responsibility. Ed.
Inokuchi Hiromitsu and Nozaki Yoshiko. 31 Aug.
2002. JCA-NET (Japan Computer Access). 02 May
2005
.
“China-Japan Logrolling.” ” Christian Science
Monitor Vol. 97 Issue 96 (2005):
MasterFILE Premier. EBSCOhost. Monterey Peninsula College. 13 Apr. 2005 <http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&an=16697185>.
Jacobus, Lee A. A World of Ideas. 6th ed.
New York: St.
Martin’s, 2002.
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Asia Source on the Web 10 Jul. 2001.
02 May
2005 .
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Wikipedia 18 May 2005. 23 May
2005
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Revises History Textbook.” Christian Science Monitor Vo. 93
Issue 69 (2001): 12. MasterFILE Premier.
EBSCOhost. Monterey Peninsula College. 13 Apr. 2005
<http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&an=4155498>.
Machiavelli, Niccolo. “The Qualities of the
Prince.” Jacobus 35-50.
Marquand, Robert. “Anti-Japan protests jar an
uneasy Asia.” Christian Science
Monitor Vol. 97 Issue 95 (2005): p1, 2p, 2c.
MasterFILE Premier. EBSCOhost. Monterey Peninsula College. 13 Apr.
2005
<http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&an=16696999>.
Miyazaki, Jamie. “Textbook Row Stirs Japanese
Concern.” BBC News on the Web 13
Apr. 2005. 02 May 2005
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National
Center for
Education Statistics (NCES). World History: NAEP World History
Assessment. 16 Oct. 2003. 21 May
2005
<http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/worldhistory>.
National Clearinghouse for U.S.-Japan Studies.
Masalski, Kathleen Woods. Nov. 2001.
Indiana
University. 02 May
2005
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Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: All
Human Rights for All. Dec. 1948-98. 21 May 2005 .
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Can’t Forget.” Christian Science Monitor Vol.
93 Issue 95 (2001): 1. MasterFILE Premier.
EBSCOhost. Monterey Peninsula College. 13 Apr.
2005
<http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&an=4311004>.
Ratliff, William. “Human Rights Are Often
Defined Inconsistently.” Opposing
Viewpoints 174 Series (2004). Opposing
Viewpoints: Human Rights. Thomson Gale. Monterey Peninsula College. 13 Apr.
2005
<http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC>.
“Revised Japanese Textbook ‘More Subtle, More
Dangerous’.” The Chosun Ilbo
English Edition on the Web 11 Mar. 2005. 02 May
2005
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Takahashi, Kosuke. “Tortuous Tangles over
Japanese Textbooks.” Asia Time on the
Web 26 Oct. 2004. 02 May
2005
.
United
States. Dept. of
Education. Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
Helping Your Child Learn History: The Basics of
History. Jul. 1993. 21 May 2005 <http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/History/Basics.html#Meanings>.
Wary, Harry. “The Lesson of the Textbooks.”
Japan Examined:
Perspectives on
Modern
Japanese History. Ed.
Harry Wary and Hilary Conroy. Honolulu:
University of
Hawaii Press, 1983.
282-90.
Zielenziger, Michael. “Japanese history
textbook that supports occupation has Korea
livid.” Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center (2001): pNA. Knight Ridder
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