What should be mentioned in Japanese history textbooks ?
China, Korea and other Asian countries that have experienced the Japanese occupation during WWII have constantly complained about the content of history textbooks used in Japanese schools everytime the Japanese Education Ministry approves new books. Germany, Austria or Italy do not have this problem. What is the difference ?
According to Wikipedia "The German education system focuses on teaching about the Holocaust and the Third Reich and denounces the crimes committed during World War II." I believe that they also explain about slave labour used by some German companies, or show pictures of concentrations camps.
Nowadays, I have seen by myself that Japanese history textbooks only quickly outline Japan's invasion of Asia in WWII, and doesn't describe the atrocities, shows any picture or insist one Japan's culpability.
Worse, modern history is an optional subject, and Japanese students have to choose between Japanese History, World History or Geography. So people who do not choose history have no mention of WWII at all. In my opinion, both geography and history from the antiquity to the late 20th century should be compulsory.
What do you think should be included in Japanese history textbooks ?
The best kind of constructive criticism, Maciamo !
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 (εϊ{ι� €Rθ΅Oκΰ lΤΆιι). 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.
Look at this, all history lovers !
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*
� §φΆΩ 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 !)
Bring it all out in the open
I think that most of the events mentioned in the poll should be written in text books as long as they were factual... History books are not about blame or responsibility, they are about what actually happend. As humans we learn from our mistakes and our accomplisments, if we are unaware of past mistakes and atrocities, it is hard to learn from them.
History should be taught in full, as not to run the risk of repeating it.
My Japanese girlfriend knew nothing of Pearl Harbor
I understand that the Japanese education system is superior to the American one;this I agree with out argument.
I was thinking it strange ,at first, my former Japanese girlfriend knew nothing of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Then I was told by a Japanese friend who had been educated in austrailia, not all history makes it into the Japanese text books. How much creedance should I give to this?