Japanese Play Down Historical Indiscretions, Just Like We Do
By CHISAKI WATANABE, Associated Press Writer
TOKYO – More than 100,000 people protested Saturday in southern Japan against the central government’s order to modify school textbooks which say the country’s army forced civilians to commit mass suicide at the end of World War II.
Publishers of history textbooks were ordered in December to modify sections that said the Japanese army — faced with an impending U.S. invasion in 1945 — handed out grenades to residents in Okinawa and ordered them to kill themselves rather than surrender to the Americans.
The amendment order came amid moves by Tokyo to soften brutal accounts of Japanese wartime conduct, but triggered immediate condemnation from residents and academics.
“We cannot bury the fact that the Japanese military was involved in the mass suicide, taking into account of the general background and testimonies that hand grenades were delivered,” Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima told a crowd gathered at a park in Ginowan City.
Accounts of forced group suicides on Okinawa are backed by historical research, as well as testimonies from victims’ relatives. Historians also say civilians were induced by government propaganda to believe U.S. soldiers would commit horrible atrocities and therefore killed themselves and their families to avoid capture.
New textbooks for use in Japanese schools must be screened and approved by a government-appointed panel, which can order corrections of perceived historical inaccuracies. The publishers of seven textbooks slated for use in high schools next year had been asked to make relevant changes and submit them for approval.
An official of the Education Ministry said Saturday that the ministry has no immediate plans concerning the amendment. She spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy.
Well, history is written for the political welfare of each country … accurate content can often be embarrassing. The US is guilty of the same thing. Our textbooks ignore or play down the indiscretions of our Generals when they ordered the slaughter of women, children and elderly American Indians. Slaughters during the Viet Nam War, Korean Conflict and WWII are always skewed to show who the good guys are. The “my God always wins” attitude is happening as we speak with the current war. Not only are slaughters going on on both sides, but the US has slaughtered our economy by selling it to the military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned us about. The US is just as guilty as other countries who modify the history books to give a positive spin to their deeds. The stories are always black and white, we always fight for “Truth, Justice and the American Way”. The guys we kill are always the “evil-doers” threatening “our freedom”. Our kids and their kids grow up believing these lies and never see the mistakes that need to be avoided in the future. And the beat goes on … Japan is just doing what every one else does. Sad, but true. This is called DISINFORMATION!
September 30th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Is that a surprise?
September 30th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Its always been done. This is not a surprise except for the unquestioning majority. People believe anything if its wrapped in a pretty package and it feels good.
September 30th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Disinformation otherwise known as propaganda. And we have it here on steroids..due to our advertizing agencies and the dismantling of the Fairness doctrine..people the internet tax bill is slated to expire on Nov 1st ..buzzflash has an article about it within their headlines. Right now the internet is where many can get the real story..there and on a few viewer financed radio and tv stations. BK we sure do white wash our history..as my bud says..the “American dream ain’t what it used to be and it never was”
September 30th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Good to know. I really didn’t know that, so thanks for the information. I’ve always thought them to be unified for some reason.
September 30th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
I realize that disinformation is a product of all governments, but like Phil I had no idea about Japan. I guess it’s because they have always portrayed themselves as honorable and in their culture it’s shameful to deceive.
I’ve always looked at the word history as “his story” since it’s generally written by the winner skewed to their advantage.
September 30th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Japan has been doing this all along. They have only recently admitted to the atrocities they committed on Korea. The kidnapping and enslaving of their women. There were several years of debate whether they should own up to this and other indiscretions. Find me a country that has been on the ‘up and up’ from the beginning. History books are edited just like the bible is edited. To sway the thinking of the reader.
November 2nd, 2007 at 4:55 pm
The general principle that politicans and governments will rewrite the past to fit present needs is less interesting than knowing what they have considered important enough to rewrite. And of course distinguishing between imagined rewrites (why haven’t they told us the men from Mars are already here) and real rewrites (The US never backed the Taliban). Once again its the detail that counts…
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Thanks crotoc, point well taken. This administration is arrogant enough to rewrite history while we watch.