JAPAN’S TEXTBOOKS DISTORT HISTORIC FACTS

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The Japanese government has approved a number of high school textbooks that lay territorial claim to Korea’s Dokdo islets. Seoul has strongly protested Tokyo's distortion of historical facts. Here's more

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These are social science textbooks for subjects including history and geography set to be used at high schools across Japan from next year. One geography textbook argues that Korea is illegally occupying the Dokdo islets. All 30 textbook brands mention Dokdo and most of them include claims that it belongs to Japan or that it’s under Korea’s illegal occupation. The controversial content was expected since Japan announced teaching guidelines back in 2018 that laid territorial claims to Dokdo and the Senkaku Islands. Such guidelines must be reflected when compiling school textbooks. Otherwise, the texts will not get government approval and can’t be used in schools. Textbooks that have passed the latest review briefly mention the wartime sex slavery issue. Less than half of 12 history books acknowledge the forced nature in the recruitment and operation of wartime brothels. The books also echoe Tokyo’s claim that post-war compensation issues for sex slavery and forced labor have all been resolved. Seoul’s foreign ministry has called in Hirohisa Soma, deputy head of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to lodge a protest over the matter.

[Soundbite] Choi Young-sam(Foreign Ministry spokesperson) : "Dokdo is Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law and Seoul will continue to sternly respond to Japan’s unjustified claims on territorial sovereignty."

The ministry added that it expects Japan to squarely face history and show a more responsible attitude in educating its youth.