KCNA condemns Japanese high school textbooks for distorting the history of aggression: instilling militarism in future generations

  [Global Network Report] The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan announced on March 30 the results of the review of high school textbooks to be used from next spring.

The Korean Central News Agency issued an article on April 4 criticizing that Japan’s distortion of historical teaching materials was an insidious trick to instill militarist ideas in future generations and to realize the old dream of the “Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Circle”.

  The article stated that, as in previous years, Japanese high school history textbooks distorted, beautified and rationalized the history of aggression, erased or vaguely stated crimes committed during the war of aggression and colonial rule, and claimed sovereignty over Dokdo.

  The article pointed out that the textbook also claimed that Japanese imperialist aggression brought "civilization" and "prosperity" to the Asian continent.

Japan stubbornly and shamelessly distorts historical teaching materials, behind which hides the insidious trick of instilling militarism into future generations through false historical education and realizing the old dream of the "Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Circle".

Japan regards aggression against foreign countries as a basic foreign military strategy and an important policy issue, and it does everything possible to achieve its goals.

  Japanese history textbooks have also triggered strong protests from South Korea.

Some South Korean public opinion said that Japan's strengthening of distortion of history education may further worsen the already frozen relationship between South Korea and Japan.

According to a report from South Korea’s YTN television station, Japan’s high school textbooks approved on the 30th claim Dokdo (called "Takeshima" in Japan) as Japanese territory and downplay the content related to "comfort women".

Regarding the issue of forced labor, the new textbook will continue to reflect Japan’s existing claims that “has been resolved through post-war compensation”... In this regard, the spokesperson of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed a strong protest on the 30th and urged Japan to immediately correct it.

South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Japanese government has approved textbooks that are based on the country’s central historical outlook and do not truthfully record history.

Regardless of history, geography, or international law, Dokdo is South Korea’s inherent territory. The Japanese side has once again reviewed and approved teaching materials for Dokdo’s sovereignty, which is infuriating. South Korea strongly condemns this practice.

The Japanese government has correctly recognized that the nature of the "comfort women" issue is a violation of women's human rights and universal values ​​during the war.

  On the afternoon of March 30, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with the Japanese Minister in South Korea, Soma Hiroshang, to protest on the matter. This is the second time that the South Korean government has summoned Japanese envoys this year following the "Takeshima Day" event held in Japan in February. The YTN TV station analyzed that Japan passed the approval of junior high school and high school textbooks last year and this year, respectively, and strengthened education in distorting history. This makes it difficult to find signs of improvement in the already deteriorating relationship between South Korea and Japan. In addition, since Jeong Yiyong took office as South Korea's foreign minister, the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan have not yet approved the speech, and the ambassadors of the two countries will be able to submit credentials in the future.