What should be mentioned in Japanese history textbooks ?

[Apollo]

I clicked on all except the two first......

It is especially important to explain in history books the atrocities in Manchuria......

[lexico]

However, I hope it can be supplemented by more polls building upon this great idea. One thing about option no. 16. Shouldn't it be "why war criminals should not be worshipped" ?

quote:
"Explanation on the controversy about the Yasukuni Shrine, and why war criminals should be worshipped"

Some extra options for future extensions I would hope to see:

19. Assessments of immediate damages that resulted from exploitations by country, by city, by industry.

20. Assessments of immediate damages that resulted from Imperial Japan's war activities.

21. Assessments of immediate damages that resulted from discriminatory treatment of non-Japanese citizens.

22. Assessments of long-term damages to individuals & families due to Japan's war decision.

23. Assessments of the pain, agony, loss of body funtion, body part, or both, leading to the eventual loss of all body parts, and life itself for the majority interned at Unit 731 for the human experiments (大日本帝� 陸軍關東七三一部隊 人間生體實驗). Did any survive in the end ? Or were all burned to cover it up ? Such questions for discussionin the history classes.

24. Assessments of environmental damages, costs of restoration, and monetary figures after compound interest since the time of destruction to the present. (or the time of reparation made, if any.)

25. Actual repartions made and how those figures compare to the actual/immediate/long-term damages.

26. The internal logic of Pan Asian Commonwealth Sphere, how it was to benefit Imperial Japan, how it was to exploit Asian countries & individuals, how the propaganda was administered, the descrepancy between the ideals and realities of PACS.

27. How Japan got lucky by the Marshall plan; ie. not demanding full reparation, but being offered aid for reconstruction instead, and how that fostered the illusion within certain groups in Japan, that nothing was really wrong with Imperial Japan.

28. How Japan's primary war criminal late Emperor Hirohito got off the hook of the death sentence, and how that perpetrated the false impression of his & Japan's ultimate innocence.

29. How gentle a treatment Japan got when considering the great damage it caused to the world, and how ungrateful Japan has been for the astonishing humane treatment. All it had to offer was preferential treatment to the major occupying forces; the US, and how unfair that was.

30. Why Japan was not allowed to have its own army for the purpose of combating on foreign soil; why Japan cannot ammend its constitution to have an army now, and why it must stay that way forever.

31. Some basic education in philosphy, logic, some simple civics such as being responsible, and how criminal behavior costs the perpetrator in the end. Why lying is bad, although it may look lucrative.

32. The cause & effect relationship in history; e.g. you hit someone, he hits you back, that it is perfectly natural to do so if you don't apologize immediately or go to gaol.

33. How Japan's history education has been misrepresenting reality.

34. The oppression of dissidents to the militarism since Meiji; how may Japanese perished in the torture, in the cells, in the human experiments, or simply fled to another country.

35. An assessment of damages Japan has sufferred due to extremist right wing conservatives' activities.

That's it for now.

[lexico]

However, I hope it can be supplemented by more polls building upon this great idea. One thing about option no. 16. Shouldn't it be "why war criminals should not be worshipped" ?

Can you comment on this point, please ? Was it meant to be that way; then I don't understand option 16.

[Maciamo]

Can you comment on this point, please ? Was it meant to be that way; then I don't understand option 16.

That's right. Soory. I have changed it.

[lexico]

Thanks, Mac. Now I can vote with peace of mind.

Today I discovered (well rediscovered) this site; unfortunately, they seem to be incomplete. There were claims by some Japanese scholars that certain material were not available by design; the more controversial, sensitive material. So, good, and bad, as anything in life. *sigh*

� 立公文書館 Japan Center for Asian Historical Records

The National Archives of Japan:

Among the collection of the National Archives of Japan, JACAR currently provides access to materials assembled to the Japanese Cabinet from the Meiji era to closing years of World War II during the Showa era. As these materials also include vast amounts relating to domestic affairs, we are extracting those that concern Asian history for the convenience of the user. As of June 2002, JACAR has made approx. 120,000 images and catalog of approx. 30,000 items accessible through the Internet in the 3 historical record series below. We are planning to also provide "Kobun Zassan" (materials not entered in "Kobun Ruishu" that were received by the Cabinet dating from the 19th year of the Meiji era (1886), compiled according to government agency and year), "Goshomei Gempon" (original documents promulgating laws and treaties, with name and seal of the Emperor), "Sumitsuin Kaigi Kankei Shorui" (document related to Privy Council meetings), and others in the future.

Dajo Ruiten

Dajo Ruiten is the compilation of records collected by the Dajokan, the central administrative organ of the Government until the Meiji Government adopted the cabinet system. These records cover the period from October of the 3rd year of the Keio era (1867) to the 14th year of the Meiji era (1881). Consisting of copies and originals of journals of the Dajokan, regulations concerning ceremonies, diplomatic documents, and others, the materials are valuable records of such matters as treaties of friendship Japan concluded with various foreign countries during the early Meiji era.

Kobun Roku

Kobun Roku are original copies of official documents that the Dajokan received from the 1st year of the Meiji era (1868) to Meiji 18 (1885) sorted by ministry or agency concerned and year, designated as the country's important cultural property. Among the records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are detailed records concerning establishment of diplomatic relations with various foreign countries, arranged in chronological order.

Kobun Ruishu

Kobun Ruishu is a collection of official documents that were compiled under the Dajo Ruiten title until Meiji 14 (1881) and that took the present title in Meiji 15 (1882). Starting from Meiji 19 (1886), original proceedings for laws and regulations have been placed in this category. As of June 2002, JACAR has provides access through the Internet to Asian historical records up to the 11th year of the Showa era (1936).

(There's more matrerial there with Congress & Navy documents, too !)

[Sukotto]

Personally this one #26 posted by lexico and also various ones
(which I never thought of)
with regards to affects on individuals and their communities
of war in general should be part of history/civics/social studies
classes throughout the world, not only in Japan. Such stuff
is missing from US education as well. The reality is ignored &
war is glorified and as just explosions and bloody movies.
Not that I'm against these movies. I think the glorification
comes from else where.

26. The internal logic of Pan Asian Commonwealth Sphere, how it was to benefit Imperial Japan, how it was to exploit Asian countries & individuals, how the propaganda was administered, the descrepancy between the ideals and realities of PACS.


#26 Is important I think. Since many an imperialistic war has been launched
on the platform of doing great good for others but only to set up "peaceful" relationships in which one dominates over others. (economically of course,
what else are wars about? religion [and racism] is mainly used for self-justification. "god is on my side" "god bless my side" [the British
claimed they were doing others a favor by democra..., err "civilizing"
the "uncivilized". Japanese imperialists claimed to be freeing their
Asian bretheran from European colonialists only to take their place
and used the "trade agreement" mentioned in #26 as their "peace-time"
blue print to justify the domination. i think? do i digress?])




Should war criminals that escaped persecution because they
were useful to the victors, should that be covered in Japanese
history? Examples : Yoshio Kodama & Ryoichi Sasakawa both
were classified as Class A war criminals, yet the United States
secured their release to work for them.

Does German history mention nazi war criminals that the US
helped escape persecution and put to work doing the exact same things?

[bossel]

Does German history mention nazi war criminals that the US
helped escape persecution and put to work doing the exact same things?

Yes, it does. Although they did not do exactly the same things, one main difference was that they didn't have slave workers for their projects anymore.