Japanese Minister Defends Use of Textbooks

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Sorry.lexico-san :sorry:

I examine a document of Japan side of "the issue of Takeshima" now.
An official opinion of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Takeshima Issue

"(a) Japan has long known about the existence of Takeshima (then known as "Matsushima"). This is clear from many references to it in writing and on maps.

(Note: On the Kaisei Nippon Yochi Rotei Zenzu (Revised Complete Map of Japanese Lands and Roads) (1779) by Sekisui Nagakubo, the most representative of all published cartographic projections of Japan, the location of Takeshima is accurately recorded in its current position. Many other documents through to the Meiji era make the same reference.)

(b) At the beginning of the Edo period (1618) the Ohya and Murakawa families of Houki-Han were granted permission from the Tokugawa Shogunate to take feudal tenure of Utsuryo Island, and ever year the families conducted fishing on and around the island, sending some of their catch of abalone in tribute to the Shogunate. Takeshima was en route to Utsuryo Island and was used as a stopover port and for fishing. In addition, at the latest by 1661 the Ohya and Murakawa families had been granted feudal tenure of Takeshima from the Shogunate.

(c) In 1696, as a result of negotiations between Japan and Korea concerning fishing in the vicinity of Utsuryo Island the Shogunate prohibited passage of vessels to Utsuryo (Takeshima Ikken), but did not prohibit passage to Takeshima.

(d) In 1905, Japan reaffirmed its intention to possess Takeshima by a Cabinet decision in January, followed by a notification by Shimane Prefecture in February, officially incorporating Takeshima as part of Shimane Prefecture. Subsequently Takeshima appeared on the State Land Register, and a system of approval for sea lion hunting on Takeshima was introduced, which continued until its termination in 1941 due to the Second World War. "


Now other documents are applying to a person of administration of a site of the issue of Takeshima for use permission.
Please already wait for a while.

 

[shiroma]

Geography textbook this time.

FM Ban Blasts Renewed Claim to Islets

Earlier in the day, a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Seoul issued a statement expressing strong doubt whether Japan wants to develop friendly relations for peaceful coexistence and co-prosperity in Northeast Asia.

Some people might have already realized that their definition of the word "friendly relations" is Japan's total subordination forever where Korea and its suzerain extort additional reparations once in a while.

Full Text

As a result of analyzing 55 geography/history and civics textbooks to be used from the year 2007, which were screened and released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan on March 29, 20 of them were identified to have distorted descriptions of Dokdo that it is a Japanese territory, following the recommendation by the Education Ministry.

which reminds of,

Distorted Japanese History Textbooks Are Approved

Influenced by the minister, the committee members went further to replace the controversial phrase from the Fusosha civics textbook describing Dokdo as a disputed region with the more distorted claim by calling the islets Japanese territory.

It is about disputed land, therefore it's natural that Korean textbook states that the islets belong to Korea while Japanese textbooks say it's Japanese land. That's the way it is, Japan never complains about that.
Calling it distortion would make people wonder if Korean definition of the word "distortion" might actually be "things they do not want to hear/face."

Now it is confirmed by the minister, that everything is "distortion" when they do not like it. No one listens to the babble of a nation that could not even come to Hague to speak up their claim.


Related post
Tradition

 

[lastmagi]

In either case I don't suppose that the same sentiment can be shared elsewhere. Because, you know, Japan is perfect and blameless while everyone else is implicitly suspect by default. Right.

 

[Sukotto]

I'd like to take a comparative history class sometime.

In which you basically compare the histories as they are taught in
other countries.

Actually. That should be a required course in Junior high school.



Until recent decades the US too had such denials.
Holocaust in the US? Genocide?
The sovereign first nations (that could require US citizens to use a passport if they wanted to) have finally begun to get US citizens to recognize the truth

It seems a near direct parrallel (sp?)

 

[shiroma]

Calling it distortion would make people wonder if Korean definition of the word "distortion" might actually be "things they do not want to hear/face."

And their culture approves of tantrum about history they do not want to hear:

Violent Scenes Break Up Textbook Forum

When presentations were about to begin, activists stormed the podium, threw out chairs and microphones and shouted the Textbook Forum "looks down on the April 19 Uprising as a mere student movement." They grabbed Rhee Young-hoon, a professor of economics at SNU, by the throat and knocked him down. Huh Dong-hyun, a professor at Kyung Hee University, who were there for discussion as a non-member, and Lew Young-ick, a professor at Yonsei University, who chaired the symposium, sustained bruises while trying to stop them. Group members poured coffee over and kicked Ahn Byung-jik, a professor emerita at SNU, who was sitting in the venue.