S Korean activists protest against Japan

Why would S.Korea be telling Japan what they need to write in their history books? Japan doesn't tell S.Korea what to write in their history books. Japan can write whatever it wants and teach it's youth whatever truth they want to teach.

Extra credit goes to these protestors for being up to date with their knowledge of who the current Japanese PM is.

zichi - In the whole history of humanity, we've never had what you call "True History"... It is always revisionism, depending on who is writing it.

So disappointed. Not because the Koreans are protesting, but because they could do better. Burning photos of Noda? Pfft. Nothing like what they used to do before. Koreans are famous the world over for their demonstrations.

http://www.who-sucks.com/people/the-exciting-world-of-south-korean-protests

Seriously is there something that S. Korea DOESN'T protest about?

Once. Just ONCE, I want to read a headline "S. Korean Activists Baked a Cake" or something.

I mean, this is getting beyond predictable...

The past is the past, the South Koreans calling Japan evil over and over again is old. Japan owes nothing to the Republic of Korea. Again there are no good relations and starving the Peoples Republic of Korea is just mean. Give the North some rice and other aid. Perhaps in time their government will change. What you fail to understand is the feelings of the Japanese people. We the current Japan has done nothing wrong and have been at peace for 67 years and the Lord willing many more to come. You do not have to worry the Tokyo government has no spine and will do anything to please the Americans. Up to the point of getting us involved in the Korean civil war. I will not fight to defend the South from the North or be part of their invasion of the North.

Round and round it goes. Where it stops, nobody knows.

Nobody told Noda that in order to rewrite history books, you first have to win the war?

History is written by the country that teaches it to their countrymen. Not by foreigners. Here is an example. In the U.K. it is taught that the British was the main reason why WWII ended in Europe, NOT the Americans. The Americans had little to do with the outcome of the war. THAT is how they teach history to their countrymen.

Were you educated in the UK? I was and so were my children and that is NOT the way the outcome of WWII was taught; the US (and all other allies') involvement in the war was always part of the curriculum. Americans usually forget that the Axis powers did actually declare war on the USA too and the USA would have been next on Hitler's list had the UK been defeated.

Who ever owns these insignificant-looking islands also has the rights to the surrounding waters and all its resources. That's why they all want it.

Fighting over it as they have been doing is childish and dangerous, this should be settled like adults in some international court. Having looked at it years ago, I left with the impression that Japan had a very strong case.

when i saw this kinda articles it remind me one of my old colleages who immigrated frim S Korea to Japan I had worked with him in Japan in few years. was blliriant, knowledable and kind person though, one day we accidentally talked about Koreas histories and then mentioned that why N and S Koreas was divided into two nations then he suddenly got upset and explained that all because of Japan which troops invaded his country and had them fought each of S and N Koreans. Like that smart guy didnt know what actually happened in past his country. like these protesting activities are came from their educational system, hope they could open their mind and know what was going on.

As far as I know, all history books are careless with the truth.

They are biased and omit important details.

This certainly applies to British, American and Japanese history text books and probably South Korean ones too.

After all, the etymology of "history" and "story" are the same.

One word:　火病 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwabyeong

Cho Byung-Jae, Japan should do nothing to hurt relations? So it is alright for South Korea to forever bash Japan? I think notice should be given that the peace loving people of Japan will not allow America to use their bases in Japan to support the South in their civil war. Japan needs to be NEUTRAL!!! Bad relations are better than one sided fake ones. If South Korea thinks of Japan as a foe, then we should return the "affection".

oginome, said Japan should be NETURAL. Until South Korea stops bashing Japan, we should not go out on a limb for them. They want to bring us into their civil war. I always say Japan will not fire the first shot against the Peoples Republic or Russia. Yes still think relations could be improved with the North. Starving the people of the North will not make them do anything. Just look of the fruits trade sanctions have brought us? So tell me about Japans "good" relations with the South? What have they done for Japan recently? As a supply of cheap shoddy products they can easily be replaced. The South is saying they are prepared to fend off an invasion from Japan. What the frack are they smoking? The truth is the South faction has much more to lose than Japan. We can hurt them far more than they can hurt us. Their hateful talk toward Japan can not be tolerated forever.

oginome. allowing the Americans to use their bases in Japan against the Northern faction is not being neutral. Second Japan is not responsible for a divided Korea, that honor goes to the Russians and United States. They split up the nation prior to the end of the Pacific war. Third Japan has been at peace for 67 years and unless attacked will remain at peace. Forth the Southern faction is using Japan as a club against the North. Allowing our nation to be used as such is another not neutral act. About the War and comfort women, that was settled in 1965 with at the time was the legal government of the South. Throw that agreement out and all of the agreements with the South become worthless. Lastly every time I heard the South's government talk about Japan, they are bashing Japan. The good relations is a lie and truth should prevail over lies. Almost forgot, do you remember my position on the Liancourt Rocks? I have always said the government in Tokyo should drop all claims. If a few nuts want to keep claim to them, we unlike Korea are a free country. Though if the national government drops claims they would ask for Tsushima next.

I do not see the good relations, the comfort women is an attack upon the 1965 peace treaty. You just can not honor bits and pieces of the treaty. Either it is all in effect or it is not. If there is no peace treaty with the South then how are they any better than Russia? The South is looking for excuses to attack Japan. It is not a big step from verbal attacks to physical attacks. I do not expect an attack, but what if they send a occupation force to Tsushima? They claim it or do you ignore that?

The shrine is private property and unlike Korea we have freedom of religion. The school books? The Souths books are worse than Japans. The hate that is taught to them. You need to visit South Korea as a Japanese lady to learn the true horror.

The problem with the American bases in Japan is in the event of a war, they are "legal" targets. The North would attack the bases to prevent their use against them. Some of these bases are located in very heavy populations areas.

We will never agree on this issue. One I do not see normal relations with the North because it is impossible due to the 65 treaty. Second do not think starving the North does any good. Third it is not our war, it is Korea's war. Forth the 65 treaty was suppose to complete the process of reconciliation between Japan and the Southern Faction. Forth the shrine is private and the Souths schools teach the kids to hate Japanese. If it was not the comfort women it would be something else. Fifth the war would be because it is a civil war with the North. This is not Japans war! This is an all Korean war and you are insulting your protectors. Lastly the concentration camps will be there no matter what we do. Now Japan is being used as the pawn of the Southern Faction and USA. It is in Japans best interest not to be involved.

When you say South Korea it is acknowledging the legitimate government in the North. In the 65 treaty Japan agreed to recognize one government in Korea and it was the Republic of Korea. Japan could have the same relations like they do with Taiwan. Again it goes against my Christan conscious to let so many people starve to death. As to Japans crimes they are the crimes of our grandfathers, great grandfathers and great grandfathers.

Lastly if South Korea wants to treat Japan like foes, then let our relationship in the light of all things reflect this fact. Japan does not need to South for anything and next time you fight your brothers and sisters in the North it will be your fight alone. The Korean civil war is not Japans fight. If South can not beat a bankrupt North, they deserve to lose. Oh what about Juju? The Republic of Korea killed 30,000 civilians in an act of paranoia.

Who is Yuri? Well I served my country and was prepared to lose it all in her defense. I take no responsibility for the sins of my ancestors. Second am still subject to recall and do not want to fight for Korea. As I say it is not our problem, so what will the so called Republic of Korea do if Japan refuses to suck up to them? Lastly countries had diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union while not agreeing with them. The policy with the Peoples Republic of Korea has not worked, time for a change in plan.

oginome, You were trying to make misread some events. Some or most southeast Asian who have been proud of Japan about what they did in the past ww2. of cource some of them are still angry but they knew if japan didnt stand up at that time, most or all asian countries might be western nation's colonies. Especially Indonesian they celebrate their own independent ceremony with holding up japan's flag and sing japanese march to thank to japan.

Why N and S Korea has beed divided into two nation was obviously because of the US and Soviet, like Germany and Vietnam(finally communism won though)

oginome, You were trying to make misread some events. Some or most southeast Asian who have been proud of Japan about what they did in the past ww2. of cource some of them are still angry but they knew if japan didnt stand up at that time, most or all asian countries might be western nation's colonies. Especially Indonesian they celebrate their own independent ceremony with holding up japan's flag and sing japanese march to thank to japan.

No, I'm not misreading anything, Imperial Japan was a racist murder empire which colonised and occupied much of Asia, torturing and brutalising local people and killing millions. Many people were happy to exchange Western colonial rule for Japanese but then were subsequently horrifed at how brutally their Japanese occupiers behaved. This shameful episode in Japan's history continues to be downplayed and whitewashed by Japan, while the atomic bombs have gained almost religious significance. The Japanese have leapt into the victim role, while trying to cast aside its role as a perpetrator for so many atrocities. You can't take one and leave the other.

Why N and S Korea has beed divided into two nation was obviously because of the US and Soviet, like Germany and Vietnam(finally communism won though)

Divided in half because Japan lost their colony and there was a power vaccum. The Vietnamese population largely wanted to vote the communist, but were prevented from this when the puppet regime in the South, backed by the Americans, refused to particpate in the democratic process.

oginome, Japan wants to move forward. While it is important to remember the past, it is the past. The people of Japan today are innocent. To the protestors, "get a life!" How about protesting against your own government which stole the money meant for the comfort girls? Korea is lucky, America never apologized for the 100,000 rapes committed by their troops after the war. The Americans would say it was rightful revenge. My view is Japan should stop talking about it. It someone talks about it in a government meeting, time to end the meeting. This news is 67 years old and Korea was part of Japan like Okinawa is part of Japan. To the protestors, the people of Okinawa have forgiven the Japanese, so can you. You are slaves to the past.

Historically Takeshima islands belongs to Japan. It is an internationally recognized fact.

In 1954, James Van Fleet, a US special mission ambassador, submitted a secret report to U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower after a round of visits to South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

The Report of Van Fleet mission to the Far East summarized: "The United States concluded that they remained under Japanese sovereignty and the Island was not included among the Islands that Japan released from its ownership under the Peace Treaty ... Though the United States considers that the islands are Japanese territory, we have declined to interfere in the dispute.""

Historic facts. Not emotional rhetoric by S. Korean extremists.

“It is very regrettable,” spokesman Cho Byung-Jae said, adding Japan should not hurt ties with South Korea.

Doesn't he mean that S.Korea should not hurt ties with Japan? Who is the victim here? Who is the aggressor? Obviously it is S.Korea that is causing these problems, not Japan. In fact, it is none of S.Korea's business what and how Japan writes their history books.

You just don't get it. This has everything to do with it. So what if China, Korea, or America are angry. Their anger does not mean they can dictate Japan. These countries can write their history books anyway they want, all filled with historical lies, exaggerations, and politically motivated omissions. And it is EXACTLY because of this, Japan can write their history books anyway they want.

It's YOU that doesn't get it. What China, Korea or America do doesn't justify Japan whitewashing its own textbooks. You find it extremely difficult to understand, Japan has a responsibility to the millions it murdered outside of what other countries do with their history. Germany has taken ownership of its past and didn't use America, China or Korea's whitewashing as an excuse to not do so.

And so the charade that are Japanese history books and the idea of the people that contribute being actual historians continues. No surprise. It's a shame their youth are so shocked to learn the truth when/if they gain experience abroad, and only grow up here in ignorance of the past (save when Japan was victim). Other nations engage in this as well of course, particularly China and also SK to an extent, but it's sickening just how broad the white-wash is in the Japanese books in regards to the massacres and treatment of its Asian neighbours during its Imperial reign (and please, no comparisons to Mao in China -- that's not what this is about!).

Saddest part is that with history being revised and rewritten, it's unlikely to be changed back to reality in the future, and likely to be repeated instead.

This brings several thoughts to mind. Its funny that the very small amount of more extreme protest always gets the attention rather than any actual honest talk of reconciliation on these issues.

Japan has its fair share of isolationist, nationalistic looney tunes too don't forget.

Japan must try to work with its neighbours if it wants to survive in a modern global economy, this includes being sensitive about historical issues.

The biggest islet is occupied by South Korean troops, making it unlikely that Japan will ever take possession no matter what the textbooks say.

Fyi - for those thinking that this is really just about the islands/land - it isn't. A country's territorial waters are define to be up to a certain distance (12 nautical miles / 22 km / 14 mi) from the edge of their coastline. It is the control over the waters that is of practical concern.

That's why they all want it.

Really? I think most people were assuming that they wanted to settle on a bunch of rocks.

These people aren't activists. Activists usualy gather signatures for petitions, organize lectures and peaceful protests. These guys are extremists. Fortunately, there aren't that many of them in Korea.

Come on South Korea. History written in every country is about His Story. It's never Your Story. Just write your own version.

Japan’s claim to the islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

Every map in the world outside of Korea uses the term Sea of Japan. I don't think we should legitimize the protesters by using the incorrect term.

Nihonkai (sea of Japan), right!

Puts one in mind of the "English channel" that the French call "La Manche (the sleeve).

Cho Byung-Jae, Japan should do nothing to hurt relations? So it is alright for South Korea to forever bash Japan? I think notice should be given that the peace loving people of Japan will not allow America to use their bases in Japan to support the South in their civil war. Japan needs to be NEUTRAL!!! Bad relations are better than one sided fake ones. If South Korea thinks of Japan as a foe, then we should return the "affection".

Yuri, you're DESPERATE for Japan to go to war against some other country, whether it's South Korea, China or Russia. Where does this blood lust come from? If you're so eager for Japan to remain neutral and peace loving, then why do you advocate and create policies in your head that would lead to even worse relations with these countries? I still remember how you said you wanted to normalise relations with North Korea, and destroy the Japan's relationship with South Korea in the process.

It would be better if both countries taught the true history and not any kind of revisionism.

Yes, it WOULD be better, but EVERY country practices revisionism. Even mine.

oginome, after the war the South was just as bad as Japan, worse really. Running prison camps for suspected communists. Suppressing freedom movements with the help of the Americans. This was all before the start of the civil war. What happened to the Japanese left behind in Korea? In the North suppose they went to the Russian Gulag. In the South suppose they went into the concentration camps. The new Korean army had its comfort girls as well. The camps were about gang rapes and murder, getting revenge against their former "masters". Also punishing collaborators and when forced to retreat the Souths Army murdered them. Has the South eradicated the Sakura tree yet or did they just change the name?

oginome, after the war the South was just as bad as Japan, worse really. Running prison camps for suspected communists. Suppressing freedom movements with the help of the Americans. This was all before the start of the civil war. What happened to the Japanese left behind in Korea? In the North suppose they went to the Russian Gulag. In the South suppose they went into the concentration camps. The new Korean army had its comfort girls as well. The camps were about gang rapes and murder, getting revenge against their former "masters". Also punishing collaborators and when forced to retreat the Souths Army murdered them. Has the South eradicated the Sakura tree yet or did they just change the name?

South Korea was a dictatorship until the late 80s, yes, but that doesn't justify Japan not facing up to its past or give your country any moral high ground on this issue. And 'worse' than Imperial Japan, I don't think so. Can't remember South Korea colonising and murdering millions of Asians. I don't think you get it, it's not hypocritical for South Korea to justifiably be angry at Japan just because South Korea also happened to be a dictatorship. It doesn't absolve Japan of anything, South Korea's own crimes against its people (with American help) doesn't mean it's OK to whitewash the textbooks. Again, the reason why there is two Koreas today is because of the power vaccum that resulted when Japan lost its colony and the Soviets and Americans divided the peninsula in two.

I heard that when S Korean commit a crime, they say they are Japanese... S Korean doesnt have to protest against Japan at all. both countries should try to find a way of stepping up. at least burning Noda photo doesnt create anything except for carbonic anhydride.

And when a crime is committed in Japan, lots of Japanese like to assume it's the work of a dreaded gaijin, rather than one of their own. Wasn't it Governor Ishihara who told the Defence Forces that they should prepare from rioting from 'third country people' (Koreans and Chinese) if an earthquake was to hit Tokyo? The burning of the Noda photo shows the activists anger at the government of Japan, in which Noda is currently PM, for its continued policy of whitewashing and downplaying Imperial Japan's litany of atrocities.

It is never taught in U.S. schools it is what you say ... "omitted". So don't lecture us on revisionist / omitted history as though these countries are more moralistic. This is what I say, Japan can write their history books the way they want them. Truthfully and historically accurate.

Other countries pursuing their own agendas and downplaying doesn't justify what Japan does. Or is OK to kill someone, just because other people also kill? Japan's textbooks are far from being 'truthfully and historically accurate', you're talking about the same textbooks that try to paint Japan's invasion of China as akin to some kind of weekend excursion to the countryside? LOL.

oginome, Japan wants to move forward. While it is important to remember the past, it is the past. The people of Japan today are innocent. To the protestors, "get a life!" How about protesting against your own government which stole the money meant for the comfort girls? Korea is lucky, America never apologized for the 100,000 rapes committed by their troops after the war. The Americans would say it was rightful revenge. My view is Japan should stop talking about it. It someone talks about it in a government meeting, time to end the meeting. This news is 67 years old and Korea was part of Japan like Okinawa is part of Japan. To the protestors, the people of Okinawa have forgiven the Japanese, so can you. You are slaves to the past.

If Japan wants to move forward, then it needs to own up to its past and educate its citizens about the atrocities the IJA committed. The reason why Japan can't move forward is because it resolutely refuses to take this action, and as a result, other countries still harbour anger and will continue to do so for as long as the whitewashing continues. The situation is never ending and it's Japan's fault. If this denial and downplaying about the imperial past is going to continue, then it's only fair that the Japanese should forget about Hiroshima and Nagasaki also. You can't just take the victim role and cast aside the atrocities Japan perpetrated. America is far from perfect, and there is MUCH room for improvement when it comes to facing up to its own 'glorious' past, but it's still been far more open about it's history compared to Japan, and anyway, like I said, other countries whitewashing still doesn't justify what Japan does.The atomic bombs are still discussed widely today in America, the country which dropped them. American media doesn't shy away from it. Yet Japan can't seem to do the same when it comes to its own war crimes. Okinawa 'forgiving' Japan doesn't mean South Korea have to, the impetus is on Japan, not the Koreans, to change the situation. I wonder how many will visit Yasukuni this year?

Japan has already PAID compensation to the victims of war crimes in 1945 as specified by the Potsdam Declaration Blame the S.Korean government for stealing the money that was going to be used for individual compensation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes#Compensation

The Japanese government officially accepted the requirement for monetary compensation to victims of war crimes, as specified by the Potsdam Declaration..... Japan recognizes South Korea as the sole legitimate government of the Korean peninsula. In the Asian countries involved .... were paid out by Japan under the specific understanding that it was to be used for individual compensation. However, in some cases such as with South Korea, the compensation was not paid out to victims by their governments, instead being used for civic projects and other works. Due to this, large numbers of individual victims in Asia received no compensation.

other countries still harbour anger and will continue to do so for as long as the whitewashing continues.

oginome, its only your country, dont pretend to be nation's spokesperson.

Japan can write their text books any way they want. That is their right. Japan can teach their children the Japanese version of history. There is no factual distortion of history. There are those with certain political agendas from China, Korea, and the U.S. who have created revisionist history using faulty, non-empirical data, with no historic evidence which disproves what is written in Japanese history books. In fact, what is written in Japanese history book can be PROVEN by data and historic documents supported by research from these SAME countries. The revisionists cannot support any of their findings without distortions because that's what they are - distortions and propaganda to promote a political agenda or to try and get some money.

Just like Americans can teach their own version of history.

http://www.gonzagabulletin.com/news/deconstructing-a-distorted-history-1.2702694

oginomeApr. 03, 2012 - 08:30PM JST

Japan needs to properly atone for the MILLIONS it MURDERED for itself, to show that it is truly sorry for all these deaths, not just to appease other nations, and it has consistently refused to do so.

I just don't see that happening when there is a double standard in the world. Why should Japan have to rewrite their history books to appease S.Korea or China or the U.S. when these countries exaggerate facts and fabricate unsubstantiated versions of history regarding Japan's involvement in WWII? If China, S.Korea, and the U.S. want Japan to rewrite their history books, then THEY should initiate the process first. Why doesn't China write about the Cultural Revolution and how Mao's starved over 20 million of his own people in their history books? Why doesn't China teach about how Japan saved hundreds of thousands of people and protected them from Mao's slaughter and helped them move them to Taiwan? Why doesn't S.Korea write in their history books about the 7,956 American and 100 British serviceman who were tortured in concentration camps? Why doesn't the Korean history books write about how their own people sold their children as sex slaves to the Japanese during WWII? Why doesn't the U.S. write in their history books about the raping of women and children of Okinawa in WWII? the raping of women and children in Okinawa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Japan"

In my perspective, if you expect Japan to rewrite their history, to include sensitive omissions, then China, S.Korea, and the U.S. should do this first. Have Japan rewrite the Chinese, S. Korean, and U.S. history books for them and see if they like it.

Meant to write "common knowledge" and so what if pre teens are not taught. We are not Germany and perhaps you think people should be required to take a course each year to pound in the knowledge of Japanese War Crimes. In America the kids are not taught about America's war crimes, not at all. I wonder why this could be happening? America, China and Korea have done a complete whitewash on their history, so do not talk about Japan.

Meant to write "common knowledge" and so what if pre teens are not taught. We are not Germany and perhaps you think people should be required to take a course each year to pound in the knowledge of Japanese War Crimes. In America the kids are not taught about America's war crimes, not at all. I wonder why this could be happening? America, China and Korea have done a complete whitewash on their history, so do not talk about Japan.

Yes, I will talk about Japan. I never defended China, Korea, or America or said they didn't do tricks with their own history, just that the Koreans and Chinese are perfectly within their rights to be angry at Japan for whitewashing what it did to them outside of what they themselves do with their own past. These are two different issues. One side whitewashing doesn't justify another side doing the same. Japan was the Nazi Germany of Asia, a fascist regime which deluded itself into thinking one race of people were racially superior and murdered millions in the pursuit of twisted ideal. If Germany can do the honourable thing and face up to its past, so can Japan. Don't talk about the occupation of Okinawa, or the bombing of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki unless you're willing to give equal attention to the IJA's army's crimes. Germany also suffered at the hands of the US and Soviet Union after WW2, Soviet troops raped countless German women and Germany ended up being divided in half, and yet Germany never used this as an excuse not to face up to its own past. Japan has a duty to the millions it murdered outside of what the current geo-political context is.

No more bickering from either of you please.

That is only your opinion and Japan's past has no relevance to how it writes it's history books. All wartime reparations including apologies to war victims have already been made. These are historically documented in history books writing all over the world. You cannot claim that Germany doesn't whitewash its past. They don't acknowlege it in the way you think they do.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=96

The above is a link to a forum which has some discussion about how they teach the Holocaust in Germany vs. in the U.S. It is written by a German teacher who is now teaching in the U.S. and the problems she faces teaching history here.

So again, Japan has no responsibilty or duty to the outside world in how it writes their own history books.

'Japan's past has no relevance to how it writes its history books' - what?! I think you fail to understand what the point of history books are. Again, paying war reparations doesn't justify whitewashing the past, Germany has paid war reparations and certainly has NOT whitewashed its past, every German child is taught about the evils of the Nazi regime and the Holocaust. You're using a forum post to prove your point? And oh dear, from reading it, I think you missed the point entirely, the teacher was talking about the problems many teachers have, in really trying to TEACH, and not just instill information in her pupils. She says herself that many of her pupils feel 'Holocaust fatigue' - sorry, but that's not a country which whitewashes its past. Germany has completely taken ownership of its past and the post made by the teacher did not contradict this in any way, actually it helped reinforce it, she was giving suggestions and ideas to teach about this episode of Germany's history. That was a bizarre link to post if you thought it proved any point you had. Yes Japan has a responsibility to the millions it murdered outside of any war reparations paid and the tantrums thrown by other countries.

I would understand this kind of response if it was the comfort women issue or another Nanking Massacre denial but to react liek this over a couple of tiny islets is ridiculous and childish. Times up you guys. Flip a coin, have a janken battle and carve up each island in half and have fun on that tiny piece of land which you will get as a result. I'm so sick of this issue being in the news.........

i thought it all belonged to china? :p

peanut666Mar. 30, 2012 - 07:57AM JST

Here is an example. In the U.K. it is taught that the British was the main reason why WWII ended in Europe, NOT the Americans. The Americans had little to do with the outcome of the war. THAT is how they teach history to their countrymen.

Another Brit here calling BS on the above claim.

We were taught about Lend Lease and all the other aid that the US offered in our time of need. We were even taught that the western war in Europe was a side show and the real war in Europe happened on the eastern front.

I think you confuse revision with omission. If others followed the Japanese model, the British would be teaching that the Irish famine was actually a national diet to reduce obesity in 19th Century Ireland and the Americans would be teaching that slavery never happened but was indentured African workers paying their voyage to the USA.

I have Japanese university students now, some, not all, who believe that the Hiroshima A bombing was a surprise attack by the US on peaceful a Japan. I have even fewer university students who believe that Japan fought on the side of the allies in WW2 against Germany. Their logic is that the allies were good and Germany was bad. Japan is good, therefore Japan fought with the good.

I qualified my above observations with 'some, not all' and 'a few', but please make a distinction between omission and revision, because there is a big big distinction. Countries may write their own history books and countries may omit to mention the less glorious episodes of their history, and that is their affair.

However countries should not be allowed to rewrite and distort that history so that an event becomes a complete distortion of the facts not just for the 'few' and 'some' but for 'nearly all'. THAT IS MINE AND EVERYBODY"S AFFAIR.

So please stop with this tired relativist claptrap. What the Japanese ministry of education is trying to do is completely different from what is happening in schools in the UK and USA and if you can't see that, well shame on you or you don't live in Japan and see the social programming that is becoming more omnipresent in the Japanese education system (let's sing and stand for the ......)

oginome, said Japan should be NETURAL. Until South Korea stops bashing Japan, we should not go out on a limb for them. They want to bring us into their civil war. I always say Japan will not fire the first shot against the Peoples Republic or Russia. Yes still think relations could be improved with the North. Starving the people of the North will not make them do anything. Just look of the fruits trade sanctions have brought us? So tell me about Japans "good" relations with the South? What have they done for Japan recently? As a supply of cheap shoddy products they can easily be replaced. The South is saying they are prepared to fend off an invasion from Japan. What the frack are they smoking? The truth is the South faction has much more to lose than Japan. We can hurt them far more than they can hurt us. Their hateful talk toward Japan can not be tolerated forever.

You say Japan should be neutral, but how will the two Koreas going to war compromise Japan's neutrality? They don't 'want' to bring Japan into their civil war. And I think you're forgetting that it is partly Japan's fault that there are two Koreas today. Your country colonised Korea, brutalised and subjugated its citizens, and after Japan lost its heinous, blood soaked war, it also ended up losing Korea, and the enusing power vaccum is why the Soviets and Americans divided the country and there was civil war. But of course, Japan is hardly known for facing up to its past... and then wonders why other countries are so angry at it, LMAO. The South bashes Japan, but that doesn't mean relations between the two countries are terrible, they're actually relatively strong, incidences like this aside, and it's not like Japan doesn't engage in its own Korea bashing either. Japan needs to properly face up to its wartime past, not be so dismissive of the comfort women issue, and STOP CLAIMING THE DOKDO ISLANDS. This is why South Korea is angry at you! You act like it comes from nowhere and keep play the self-pitying 'damned if we do, damned if we don't' Japan-as-a-victim card. You're willing to throw away all the hard work that both South Korea and Japan have put into creating greater ties over the last 40 years, to build a relationship with a dicatorship? Oh dear, thank God you're not in power.

oginome. allowing the Americans to use their bases in Japan against the Northern faction is not being neutral. Second Japan is not responsible for a divided Korea, that honor goes to the Russians and United States. They split up the nation prior to the end of the Pacific war. Third Japan has been at peace for 67 years and unless attacked will remain at peace. Forth the Southern faction is using Japan as a club against the North. Allowing our nation to be used as such is another not neutral act. About the War and comfort women, that was settled in 1965 with at the time was the legal government of the South. Throw that agreement out and all of the agreements with the South become worthless. Lastly every time I heard the South's government talk about Japan, they are bashing Japan. The good relations is a lie and truth should prevail over lies. Almost forgot, do you remember my position on the Liancourt Rocks? I have always said the government in Tokyo should drop all claims. If a few nuts want to keep claim to them, we unlike Korea are a free country. Though if the national government drops claims they would ask for Tsushima next.

Actually, Japan does remain neutral even American bases remain on its soil, the neutrality won't get compromised at all. And anyway, you like to keep reminding everyone how those bases are there in defiance of what the Japanese public really wants. Nobody will confuse Japan for America if America intervenes in any potential Korean War Part 2, the bases may be in Okinawa, Tokyo or whatever, but whatever the soldiers do represents the decision of the American government, not Tokyo's. And I don't think you understand, the reason why the Soviets and Americans divided Japan is BECAUSE Japan had colonised Korea, the power vaccum that resulted when Japan lost the war is why the two countries divided it. Japan has a responsibility to face up to that. Yes, Japan has been at peace for 67 years, but ever since Hirohito's death, nationalism has grown in Japan, everyone remembers how Koizumi brazenly visiting the Koizumi shrine, the same shrine that holds the kami of all those murderers who were responsible for the murder of countless of Asians and the school text books were whitewashed even further, it was in 2000 that a new level of whitewashing Japan's wartime past took place. Politicians and mayors continue to make gaffes and blatant lies about Japan's past, and face no uproar from the citizens who elected them. The comfort women issue was not settled in 1965, because the comfort women were not part of that original settlement, yes Japan 'apologised', but the whitewashing, denials and arrogant claims of ownership of the Dokdo Islands make a mockery of this apology. And no, the Koreans won't ask for Tsushima, they are asking for their sovereignty to be respected, which some Japanese are unable to understand.

oginome, we are not victims but if someone keeps hitting you. You have to respond, there are no good relations with the South. Korea is militarizing the Sea of Japan, there new base is a threat against Japan. Its only purpose to to make invading Tsushima more easy. Defending the Liancourt Rocks from their "allied country" is nonsense. Watch, learn the South will use history as an excuse. The Americans will prevent us from defending.

Yuri, that's paranoid nonsense. If anyone is doing the hitting, it's Japan. South Korea has no intention of invading Japan, a country with more than twice the population, especially when they have North Korea constantly threatening them. Their priority, like Japan's, is to continue building a successful economy, and increasing standard of living for its citizens. Why are you so intent on demonizing these South Koreans, all the while you want to normalise relations with a country which is basically a large scale concentration camp?

Japan's image was so hateful that all south Koreans has to hate her in the event North Korea is going to launch a ballistic missile across Japan! So how 'insane' is such an 'alliance' that existed in this world!

I do not see the good relations, the comfort women is an attack upon the 1965 peace treaty. You just can not honor bits and pieces of the treaty. Either it is all in effect or it is not. If there is no peace treaty with the South then how are they any better than Russia? The South is looking for excuses to attack Japan. It is not a big step from verbal attacks to physical attacks. I do not expect an attack, but what if they send a occupation force to Tsushima? They claim it or do you ignore that?

No, the comfort women were not part of the 1965 treaty, their issue only came to light decades later. And it wasn't just Korean women who were embroiled in this hell. Even today survivors in the Netherlands protest against Japan's handling of the comfort women issue, your country STILL hasn't come to terms or properly atoned for this sordid episode from its past. The South is NOT looking for an excuse to attack Japan, the South also wants to live in peace! Again, you're demonizing. Do you honestly think if you picked out any average South Korean, they would want to go to war to Japan? Of course not. Your typical South Korean is highly educated, is focused on building a life and a family for him/herself and war is the last thing they would want. Again, you're getting with North Koreans, who would LEAP at the opportunity to go to war with Japan or the US, and yet its this country you want to normalise ties with?

The shrine is private property and unlike Korea we have freedom of religion. The school books? The Souths books are worse than Japans. The hate that is taught to them. You need to visit South Korea as a Japanese lady to learn the true horror.

Actually, Korea recognises separation between church and state, true, the Christians make up nearly a 1/3 of South Korea's population, that still leaves over 2/3 who aren't. And whatever South Korea teaches in its school books doesn't justify Japan whitewashing its own past and downplaying the horrific atrocities its empire inflicted on Asia.

The problem with the American bases in Japan is in the event of a war, they are "legal" targets. The North would attack the bases to prevent their use against them. Some of these bases are located in very heavy populations areas.

There are American bases in South Korea as well, they are just as at risk from the North. And yet you'd rather side with the North than with 2 democracies (flawed, nevertheless and ARROGANT in American's case, but still democracies), all who, along with Japan, share the same values that come with living in a democracy? No such thing as 'normal' ties with NK, South Korea implemented the 'Sunshine Policy' to try and normalise relations with NK in the 90s and early 2000s and it was an ABJECT FAILURE, despite all the millions that were poured into NK and all the concessions which took place. NK is an insane, paranoid, lunatic, murdering police state, nothing good can come from normalising relations until the regime there changes, which it doesn't look like it'll do anytime soon. If Japan normalised relations tomorrow, then Japan would be enabling NK's human rights abuses and the suffering of hundreds of thousands in its heartbreaking concentration camps.

We will never agree on this issue. One I do not see normal relations with the North because it is impossible due to the 65 treaty. Second do not think starving the North does any good. Third it is not our war, it is Korea's war. Forth the 65 treaty was suppose to complete the process of reconciliation between Japan and the Southern Faction. Forth the shrine is private and the Souths schools teach the kids to hate Japanese. If it was not the comfort women it would be something else. Fifth the war would be because it is a civil war with the North. This is not Japans war! This is an all Korean war and you are insulting your protectors. Lastly the concentration camps will be there no matter what we do. Now Japan is being used as the pawn of the Southern Faction and USA. It is in Japans best interest not to be involved.

The 1965 treaty was a peace treaty between South Korea and Japan, if it is compromised by Japan normalising relations with North Korea, then it means Japan will be reneging and not upholding its end of the agreement, and makes a mockery of the treaty. Another reason not to do this insane act of 'normalising' relations with one of the most extreme dictatorships the world has ever known. And so what if the Yasukuni Shrine is private, the fact that public officals and politicans OPENLY visit it each year and face next to no condemnation, but instead APPROVAL from the same public who voted them in speaks volumes about the true level of contrition in Japan outside any treaties. The same shrine where the kami of so many murderers are held - and you still don't understand why other Asian countries are so angry? Someone on this site before used the analogy of Angela Merkel visting the grave of Rommel to 'pray for peace', if she did that, the uproar from countries which suffered under Nazi occupation and the world in general would be VERY clearly felt, nevermind the average German citizen who be mortified and angry at her behaviour and demand she be removed from office. Japan gets off relatively lightly in comparison. And no, not true that 'if it wasn't the comfort women, it would be something else', if Japan actually properly dealt with the comfort women situation, didn't whitewash the textbooks any more and actually EDUCATED its citizens on the atrocities committed by the IJA, then a culture of these racist politicians visiting the Yasukuni Shrine and coming out with denials would cease to exist as the population would be angry and pull them up on it. South Korea would no longer be able to leverage Japan hatred effectively and the Japanese bashing would lose steam if Japan actually faced up to its past. And once more, the Korean situation today is partly Japan's fault. Yes, the concentration camps will be there no matter what, so by normalising ties, Japan would be enabling and providing tacit approval to these camps and just the NK regime in general. Not a good move for any self-respecting democracy which claims it supports human rights to make. And Yuri, the 'Southern Faction' is a COUNTRY called South Korea.

When you say South Korea it is acknowledging the legitimate government in the North. In the 65 treaty Japan agreed to recognize one government in Korea and it was the Republic of Korea. Japan could have the same relations like they do with Taiwan. Again it goes against my Christan conscious to let so many people starve to death. As to Japans crimes they are the crimes of our grandfathers, great grandfathers and great grandfathers.

No, on the contrary, when you say South Korea, you acknowledge South Korea as a country, the term 'Southern Faction' on the other hand, does not recognise the sovereignty of South Korea. Yes, you agree that if Japan recognised North Korea then it would renege on the 1965 treaty - so you recognise what a big mistake that would be and how it would completely undermine Japan's credibility. Normalising relations with NK means accepting and recognising their system of government, I already told you how South Korea tried to do the same in the 90s and 2000s and it was a failure, the North Korean regime can only survive by hating its enemies, making friends with a capitalist country is impossible for North Korea when hatred of the world outside its borders is something which is instilled in everyone and perpetuated every day. There has been food aid delivered to NK before and the elite just hoard it for themselves while the rest of the populace continues to starve. It will happen again if Japan 'normalises' relations and decides to start sending over food, again, NK will not change its regime and Japan will find itself in the same situation South Korea was in and realise how futile these efforts are. You're right, Japan's crimes in the 1930s and 40s were the crimes of grandfathers and great grandfathers, but there are part of Japan's history and it is up to Japan to properly own up to, acknowledge and educate its population about these crimes. The millions who were murdered are killed all over again every time some politician denies the IJA's war crimes or a new textbook is released which again whitewashes the past and the general population doesn't care or actively condones this.

Lastly if South Korea wants to treat Japan like foes, then let our relationship in the light of all things reflect this fact. Japan does not need to South for anything and next time you fight your brothers and sisters in the North it will be your fight alone. The Korean civil war is not Japans fight. If South can not beat a bankrupt North, they deserve to lose. Oh what about Juju? The Republic of Korea killed 30,000 civilians in an act of paranoia.

Who's 'you', Yuri? I won't be fighting in any Korean War part 2 because I'm not Korean or American. South Korea does not want to treat Japan as a foe, but Japan seems to continue to want to have an enemy in South Korea. Again, these activists were reacting against Japanese claims to the Dokdo Islands - Japan's fault, just as they react against Japan's shameful handling of the comfort women issue, the whitewashing of textbooks and the Yasunkuni visits - again, Japan's fault. And please, the Jeju Uprising was in the 1940s, in the aftermath of Japan's 40 year occupation and the sudden divide in half by the Soviets and Americans, long before South Korea became a democracy. Since we're going to go back decades, what about the hundreds of Koreans who were slaughtered by the Japanese after the 1923 Tokyo earthquake? Now THAT was a pure act of paranoia, driven by prejudice and hate.

Who is Yuri? Well I served my country and was prepared to lose it all in her defense. I take no responsibility for the sins of my ancestors. Second am still subject to recall and do not want to fight for Korea. As I say it is not our problem, so what will the so called Republic of Korea do if Japan refuses to suck up to them? Lastly countries had diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union while not agreeing with them. The policy with the Peoples Republic of Korea has not worked, time for a change in plan.

No, Yuri, no one said you are responsible for the sins of your ancestors, but its up to Japan to teach the sins of the ancestors to the generation of today and tomorrow to show that Japan is truly sorry for what it has done and to prevent it happening again. Once more, Japan fails completely on this front and that is why so many countries retain feelings of antipathy towards your country. As a citizen of a democracy, its up to you whether you want to condemn your racist politicians and whitewashed textbooks if you want, but if the Japanese on the population as a whole doesn't, then again, don't act confused and baffled as to why South Korea and China feel the way they do. Your government is letting Japan down, Yuri. Japan does not have to 'suck up to South Korea', Japan is neutral, this will be the case even if the Koreas again go to war, or do you see good diplomatic relations as simply 'sucking up' from the Japanese side? Again, you don't seem to want good diplomatic relations, considering you want to destroy the hard won relations you have with a democracy to create new ones with a dictatorship. Yes countries had diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, but countries also placed trade embargos and sanctions on South Africa for its disgraceful and evil policy of apartheid. Throwing hundreds of thousands into concentration camps for 'reasons' that are arbitrary and condeming them to lives of brutality, torture and starvation is similarly evil and Japan would tacitly condone this if it established diplomatic relations. Again, I already told you that South Korea adopted a similar position of trying to be NK's 'friend' in the 2000s and it was a failure. Half a billion dollars was paid to NK by South Korea, just so Kim Jong-Il would agree to a meeting with then South Korean PM Kim Dae-Jung.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Policy

North Korean defector and journalist Kang Chol-Hwan, who survived nine years in a North Korean prison camp, claims that Kim Dae Jung was mistaken in offering assistance to the North without any conditions of improving human rights in return. Kang disagrees with claims that the Sunshine Policy has led to a settlement of peace between North and South and questions the concept of no-strings-attached humanitarian aid, saying "it is important to understand that North Koreans are starving not because of a lack of aid from South Korea or the U.S., but because they are deprived of freedom. Giving aid only throws a line to the government, and prolongs starvation, surely a perverse outcome."

In November 2010, the South Korean Unification Ministry officially declared the Sunshine Policy a failure, thus bringing the policy to an end

By Japan giving NK aid, it would just be prolonging and propping up the regime. Disgusting.

I heard that when S Korean commit a crime, they say they are Japanese... S Korean doesnt have to protest against Japan at all. both countries should try to find a way of stepping up. at least burning Noda photo doesnt create anything except for carbonic anhydride.

DogMar. 30, 2012 - 11:24AM JST

So please stop with this tired relativist claptrap. What the Japanese ministry of education is trying to do is completely different from what is happening in schools in the UK and USA and if you can't see that, well shame on you or you don't live in Japan and see the social programming that is becoming more omnipresent in the Japanese education system ...

Don't be so high on the horse and tell me that what is happening in UK and US schools. That is a bunch of BS. The problem with the U.K. and U.S. versions of history is not only revisionist but full of omissions. Has anyone heard about the Rape of Okinawa by American troops? See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Japan

It is never taught in U.S. schools it is what you say ... "omitted". So don't lecture us on revisionist / omitted history as though these countries are more moralistic. This is what I say, Japan can write their history books the way they want them. Truthfully and historically accurate.

oginome, its only your country, dont pretend to be nation's spokesperson.

No, codomo, I'm not Korean, just speaking the truth.

@peanut666, what South Korea did with the aid (we all know it was a dictatorship) doesn't make Japan's whitewashing of its own history any more acceptable. Japan needs to properly atone for the MILLIONS it MURDERED for itself, to show that it is truly sorry for all these deaths, not just to appease other nations, and it has consistently refused to do so. Japan has already exercise its rights to 'write their textbooks any way they want', but other nations can also respond to this gross distortion in kind if they want. South Korea is perfectly within its rights to be FURIOUS at Japan for Japan's dishonest approach to its own history. Germany has faced up to its Nazi past and every German child is aware of the horrors of the Nazi regime, no excuse as to why Japan shouldn't do the same. As long as Japan continues to whitewash its past and visits to the Yasukuni Shrine to pray for the souls of murderers are commonplace, then it is very much the business of other nations who suffered under Imperial Japan's brutal rule.

oginome have you ever read a Japanese history book? Have you ever seen a Japanese history book and if so for what grade? How do you know the Koreans are saying the truth? Japanese textbooks are written in Japanese and not Korean. So all you know about Japanese is hearsay, right?

oginome have you ever read a Japanese history book? Have you ever seen a Japanese history book and if so for what grade? How do you know the Koreans are saying the truth? Japanese textbooks are written in Japanese and not Korean. So all you know about Japanese is hearsay, right?

Again whatever agenda the Koreans pursue doesn't justify Japan's whitewashing. And, yes it is common knowledge outside Japan that Japan whitewashes its textbooks and history. Why don't you pick up one yourself and read it. Are you trying to deny the whitewashing?

oginome, again how do you know for sure if you have not read one? "Common Language" is often a lie and the best lies have a little truth to them. I believe they are not emphasizing Japans war crimes in the lower grade books. I have read my brothers sons and daughters books. They seemed fair enough to me and are on the high school level. The protestors and you are relying on hearsay. I read more Chinese than Korean, it is Greek to me. I would think that most Koreans can not read Japanese. All things Japanese are hated in Korea. Come to think of it all things Non Korean are disliked if not hated in Korea. America is heaven compared to the Republic of Korea.

oginome, again how do you know for sure if you have not read one? "Common Language" is often a lie and the best lies have a little truth to them. I believe they are not emphasizing Japans war crimes in the lower grade books. I have read my brothers sons and daughters books. They seemed fair enough to me and are on the high school level. The protestors and you are relying on hearsay. I read more Chinese than Korean, it is Greek to me. I would think that most Koreans can not read Japanese. All things Japanese are hated in Korea. Come to think of it all things Non Korean are disliked if not hated in Korea. America is heaven compared to the Republic of Korea.

The whitewashing is there for everyone to see. 'Common language' doesn't make sense. So you even admit that the books don't emphasize Japan's war crimes? Japan's war crimes need to be emphasized because tens of millions were murdered by the IJA. Germany can do it, so why not Japan? And why are you talking about South Korea hating North Korea and America being 'heaven' compared to South Korea? It has nothing to do with Japan's whitewashing, which is evident and exists. Please go look it up.

oginomeApr. 04, 2012 - 03:22AM JST

What on Earth has this got to do with anything I've said? China, Korea and Mongolia attempting to invade Japan does not mean Japan is justified in downplaying its own invasion in the 20th century. At what point did I state Korea and China were innocent?

You just don't get it. This has everything to do with it. So what if China, Korea, or America are angry. Their anger does not mean they can dictate Japan. These countries can write their history books anyway they want, all filled with historical lies, exaggerations, and politically motivated omissions. And it is EXACTLY because of this, Japan can write their history books anyway they want.

oginomeApr. 10, 2012 - 05:16AM JST

It's YOU that doesn't get it. What China, Korea or America do doesn't justify Japan whitewashing its own textbooks. You find it extremely difficult to understand, Japan has a responsibility to the millions it murdered outside of what other countries do with their history. Germany has taken ownership of its past and didn't use America, China or Korea's whitewashing as an excuse to not do so

If you actually read some history books, you will find that Japan has extremely responsible and have paid millions in reparations to victims of war, acknowledged and all war criminals have been tried, executed, or imprisoned by an international court soon after the end of WWII. Japan doesn't need to justify their version of history to any one, and they can write it anyway they want. You can cry all you want, but it will not change anything because what you are saying is just bickering and based upon irrationality.

.

YuriOtaniApr. 06, 2012 - 01:55AM JST

All things Japanese are hated in Korea. Come to think of it all things Non Korean are disliked if not hated in Korea. America is heaven compared to the Republic of Korea.

Actually Yuri, most S.Koreans love Japan, it's products, and the people. It's only a handful of people there that truly dislike the Japanese. They make a lot of noise and drama, but the reality is that most of the protesting are done by the unemployed or mentally ill. Just like everyone thinks that people who go to Berkeley, are liberal democrats. That's just not true. We had a huge Ron Paul rally with thousands of students supporting him show up at a rally.

Those same folks in S. Korean are the ones who are complaining about the Japanese school history books. Most of them can't read Japanese, let alone read Chosonmal, can't hold a job, and are mental disturbed to the point of committing violence. American's a little different. Many who side with these folks are poorly educated and not well read, and tend to react to these fabricated histories because it moves them, makes them feel important.

So I wouldn't place too much importance over the protests of Japanese school books. The important thing is educating these poor folks about historic facts rather than fabricated emotional stories.

@ peanut666, you still don't get it, Japan paying war reparations to South Korea in 1965 and Korea not properly distributing the compensation amongst the victims doesn't justify Japan's whitewashing of its own history in 2012. You find it very difficult to understand, Germany paid war reparations AND faced up to its past, it didn't use the former to justify not doing the latter. Japan needs to take ownership of the millions it murdered for ITSELF, outside of any whitewashing other countries do with their own histories. Your logic makes no sense, it's ok to for Japan to whitewash its history, because that's what other countries have done? So then it must be ok to kill people because others have done it too?

oginomeApr. 10, 2012 - 09:06AM JST

@ peanut666, you still don't get it, Japan paying war reparations to South Korea in 1965 and Korea not properly distributing the compensation amongst the victims doesn't justify Japan's whitewashing of its own history in 2012.

Don't be mistaken. I completely understand. What I am trying to explain to you in the most simiplest term, is that Japan doesn't have to justify to any other country how it writes it's own history. It doesn't matter what other countries say or feel, because it is none of there business.

Don't be mistaken. I completely understand. What I am trying to explain to you in the most simiplest term, is that Japan doesn't have to justify to any other country how it writes it's own history. It doesn't matter what other countries say or feel, because it is none of there business.

No, Japan has a DUTY to the millions it murdered outside of what reparations it paid or what other countries do. If Japan whitewashes its history, then other countries can justifiably be angry, no matter what tricks they play with their own history. They are different issues. And I think it IS the business of the millions of Asians alive today, whose grandparents were murdered, brutalised and raped by the IJA, not to mention some of the survivors themselves, who are still alive. Again, Germany doesn't whitewash its past. Every time Japan whitewashes a new textbook, and politicans visit the Yasukuni Shrine and face no condemnation, but instead approval from their electorate, Japan kills those people all over again. Japan can do what it wants with its textbooks, but other people can also express outrage by it.

oginomeApr. 11, 2012 - 12:46AM JST

No, Japan has a DUTY to the millions it murdered outside of what reparations it paid or what other countries do... Again, Germany doesn't whitewash its past...

That is only your opinion and Japan's past has no relevance to how it writes it's history books. All wartime reparations including apologies to war victims have already been made. These are historically documented in history books writing all over the world. You cannot claim that Germany doesn't whitewash its past. They don't acknowlege it in the way you think they do.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=96

The above is a link to a forum which has some discussion about how they teach the Holocaust in Germany vs. in the U.S. It is written by a German teacher who is now teaching in the U.S. and the problems she faces teaching history here.

So again, Japan has no responsibilty or duty to the outside world in how it writes their own history books.

oginomeApr. 11, 2012 - 11:01AM JST

Germany has completely taken ownership of its past and the post made by the teacher did not contradict this in any way,

You are missing the point completely. Germany isn't being forced to write or teach their history by other countries. Germany is free to teach history anyway they want. Japan is free to teach history anyway they want. And no, Japan does not have a responsibilty to teach history in a distorted, fabricated way that has no basis in truth or reality. Regardless of how you personally feel, this isn't going to change.

oginomeApr. 12, 2012 - 04:44AM JST

That is also their right. Germany doesn't teach its history in a 'distorted, fabricated way', it teaches the truth over what happend. The facts are that Imperial Japan was a racist murder empire, and murdered millions, nothing 'fabricated' about it.

And you are free to spead your fabricated version of history. Japan doesn't and shouldn't care what other countries feel should be written in their history books. And again you are missing my point. If S.Korea or China doesn't like it, so what. They can critize Japan all they want. Again it is none of their business, how and what Japan writes in their history books.

Also the S. Korean protests demonstrates the same kind of mentality of violence just like the shooter at Oikos University. They cannot deal with the realities of life, so they end up becoming violent and hurting and destroying things.

Thailand doesn't have a problem with past. In fact they are promoting developing a positive relationship. For example the movie The Samurai of Ayothaya which is based on a true story is one of the top grossing films in Thailand. And because of such pro and positive messages in the media, Japan will apologize and admit wrong doings in Thailand. But Japan won't do this in S.Korea for obvious reasons that the protesters and activists cannot understand.

oginomeApr. 12, 2012 - 05:08AM JST

Once again, you completely fail to understand. Whether Japan has a great relationship with Thailand or a poor one with South Korea stands outside the fact that Japan has a duty to the millions it murdered.

No, I completely understand what you are saying, but I totally disagree. Japan has NO obligations or duty to the victims of war or war crimes. All of them have been acknowledged at the end of WWII. S. Korea and China has no influence on how Japan writes it's history books. It's none of their business. All of your fabricated assertions about whitewashing are completely unfounded.

Excuse my ignorance, never heard of these islands Whats on them anyway, birds, volcanoes, anything worth fighting for?

If Korea has a claim to these islands they should say so.

If Japan has a claim to these islands they should say so.

Each side should respect the other's claim, look at the issue dispassionately, and see if there is mutual benefit in compromise.

zichiMar. 30, 2012 - 01:11PM JST Ch1n4Sailor what about the part in Korea history, which isnt taught in their schools, just before and just after the Korean war when the military dictatorship carried out mass executions of its own

Three things.

'Blue On Blue' issues, while being a moral wrong, is an internal issue - I think Smithinjapan alluded to this when he said don't bring Mao and China into the discussion

Again, need I said, there is a considerable difference between omission and revision of the facts.

And here's the big one................. they do teach it, if with a slightly slanted perspective, saying that the instigators of the massacres were the Koreans who had been the collabarationist classes during the Japanese occupation.

zichiMar. 30, 2012 - 01:27PM JST Dog your point 3 points to revisionism.

Nope, it's omission, rather than revision.If the Korean ministry of education were to follow the Japanese model, Korean school textbooks would read 'Massacres, what massacres? There were a few incidents of mass suicide, which the South Korean military with their American partners tried to unsuccesfully thwart some crazy political criminals from hurting themselves. Now let's get back to Korea in the time of the Three Kingdoms. Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje dominated the peninsula and parts of Manchuria at beginning of the 1st century AD. Goguryeo united Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye and other states in the former Gojoseon territory

After all, the etymology of "history" and "story" are the same.

Hmm, you do realize that the the etymology of story does not necessarily require it to mean "made up" (as some casual usage might imply), quite the contrary, for most meaning of "story", it's a sort of a "telling of events"

The past is the past, the South Koreans calling Japan evil over and over again is old. Japan owes nothing to the Republic of Korea. Again there are no good relations and starving the Peoples Republic of Korea is just mean. Give the North some rice and other aid. Perhaps in time their government will change. What you fail to understand is the feelings of the Japanese people. We the current Japan has done nothing wrong and have been at peace for 67 years and the Lord willing many more to come. You do not have to worry the Tokyo government has no spine and will do anything to please the Americans. Up to the point of getting us involved in the Korean civil war. I will not fight to defend the South from the North or be part of their invasion of the North.

The past will never just be 'the past' if Japan doesn't properly face up to it. It'll continue to hover over everything and not go away. Japan owes it to South Korea but most of all itself to show that it has faced up to and atoned for its 40 year occupation and for all the other brutalities the IJA committed. Again, if Japan really dealt with its past, then South Korea's Japan bashing would lose steam and credibility. But Japan keeps providing ammunition. Japan's fault. There is no point in giving NK aid unless Japan demand that the corrupt government distributes it to the malnourished and starving Koreans who need it the most. NK has always refused any kind of transparency every time rice has been delivered. The rice just goes towards fattening up the already well fed elite, they stay in power, while the average North Korean continues to live a life of misery. This enables the regime, LOL, they're laughing at South Korea and America for providing them with free food. Japan has been at peace for 67 years, but Japan has also driven itself further and further into denial and indignation as the 67 years have passed, your country has become even more nationalistic since Hirohito's death. And South Korea will never invade the North, it'll be the North invading the South if war occurs. South Korea's commitment is towards its economy, war is the last thing any South Korean wants.

I just don't see that happening when there is a double standard in the world. Why should Japan have to rewrite their history books to appease S.Korea or China or the U.S. when these countries exaggerate facts and fabricate unsubstantiated versions of history regarding Japan's involvement in WWII? If China, S.Korea, and the U.S. want Japan to rewrite their history books, then THEY should initiate the process first. Why doesn't China write about the Cultural Revolution and how Mao's starved over 20 million of his own people in their history books? Why doesn't China teach about how Japan saved hundreds of thousands of people and protected them from Mao's slaughter and helped them move them to Taiwan? Why doesn't S.Korea write in their history books about the 7,956 American and 100 British serviceman who were tortured in concentration camps? Why doesn't the Korean history books write about how their own people sold their children as sex slaves to the Japanese during WWII? Why doesn't the U.S. write in their history books about the raping of women and children of Okinawa in WWII? the raping of women and children in Okinawa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Japan"

In my perspective, if you expect Japan to rewrite their history, to include sensitive omissions, then China, S.Korea, and the U.S. should do this first. Have Japan rewrite the Chinese, S. Korean, and U.S. history books for them and see if they like it.

Oh dear, why should 'China, S. Korea and the US' do it first? I've never stated any of the countries are innocent. But I was specifically talking about Japan here. What other countries have done does NOT provide any justification or excuse for Japan to shy away from its own past and the atrocitiess it committed. Like I said before, Japan's official apologies are ruined when Japan refrains from educating its own citizens about the crimes that it committed and when politicans visit the Yasukuni shrine to pray for the spirits of murderers and torturers and receive no condemnation from the people whose interests they are supposed to represent. That speaks VOLUMES. Again, one country which has faced up to its past is Germany, they didn't use the excuse of other countries not facing up to their past as an excuse to not do so.

What are you talking about? China tried to invade Japan numerous times and failed. Even Korea and Mongolia joined in.

In 1274, the Yuan fleet set out, with an estimated 15,000 Mongol and Chinese soldiers and 8,000 Korean soldiers, in 300 large vessels and 400-500 smaller craft. They ravaged the islands of Tsushima and Iki, including piercing the hands of women and hanging them on their boats. They landed on November 19 in Hakata Bay, a short distance from Dazaifu, the ancient administrative capital of Kyushu. The following day brought the Battle of Bun'ei, also known as the "First Battle of Hakata Bay"

What on Earth has this got to do with anything I've said? China, Korea and Mongolia attempting to invade Japan does not mean Japan is justified in downplaying its own invasion in the 20th century. At what point did I state Korea and China were innocent?

So don't go around stating that the versions of Japanese history are far from being accurate. The Chinese and S.Korean history books don't even teach that they jointly tried to invade Japan, raped, pillaged and tortured the people of the towns and villages they managed to invade. If you expect Japan to rewrite their history books, then China and S.Korea should set an example first. Once this is done, Japan will follow suit.

So you don't want me to go around stating the truth? Japanese textbooks are not historically accurate, everyone knows that, except the average Japanese citizen, lol. Don't get why China and South Korea should 'do it first', Japan has a responsibility to the millions it slaughtered outside of any petty 'I'll be honest about the past if you are first!' childish nonsense.

You are missing the point completely. Germany isn't being forced to write or teach their history by other countries. Germany is free to teach history anyway they want. Japan is free to teach history anyway they want. And no, Japan does not have a responsibilty to teach history in a distorted, fabricated way that has no basis in truth or reality. Regardless of how you personally feel, this isn't going to change.

No, I'm not missing the point at all. Germany has decided by itself to take ownership of its past and educated its youth about the Nazi regime and the atrocities committed. Japan has decided by itself not to, which it free to, but as a consequence, others completely and totally have the right to criticise Japan and be furious about the shameful whitwashing it has engaged in. That is also their right. Germany doesn't teach its history in a 'distorted, fabricated way', it teaches the truth over what happend. The facts are that Imperial Japan was a racist murder empire, and murdered millions, nothing 'fabricated' about it.

Also the S. Korean protests demonstrates the same kind of mentality of violence just like the shooter at Oikos University. They cannot deal with the realities of life, so they end up becoming violent and hurting and destroying things.

What a gross generalistion tinged with racism. Going by your standards, then I can say the Japanese have another mentality of violence and cannot deal with the realities of their murderous imperial past, so end up whitewashing and hurting and destroying things.

Thailand doesn't have a problem with past. In fact they are promoting developing a positive relationship. For example the movie The Samurai of Ayothaya which is based on a true story is one of the top grossing films in Thailand. And because of such pro and positive messages in the media, Japan will apologize and admit wrong doings in Thailand. But Japan won't do this in S.Korea for obvious reasons that the protesters and activists cannot understand.

Once again, you completely fail to understand. Whether Japan has a great relationship with Thailand or a poor one with South Korea stands outside the fact that Japan has a duty to the millions it murdered. The geo-political realities of today are another issue. Japan doesn't get to justify and whitewash its past because it has a poor relationship today with South Korea - what a ridiculous assertion.

I think most of S. Koreans are very intelligent and don't waste their time doing stupid protests. It's only the foolish and unemployed, those who feel entitled, who have nothing better to do but to partake in such protests. Just like the Occupy movement here. A big waste of time. It's doesn't provide the incentive for political change or any promote any international cooperation, but rather just the opposite.

Japan really needs to move forward and stop chating we sorted it out in 1965. New things have come up and japan needs to look at them on it's merrits. It is amazing how Germany has dealt with it's past and is praised for it, unlike Japan which seems to have it lingering like a sore wound.

Both countries need to get over themselves and educated their public with honest history books. Neither are innocent in this and the people who are paying the price are the public. Little spats like this cost them money and business opportunities. Don't even bother mentioning China's textbooks....

I think you confuse revision with omission. If others followed the Japanese model, the British would be teaching that the Irish famine was actually a national diet to reduce obesity in 19th Century Ireland and the Americans would be teaching that slavery never happened but was indentured African workers paying their voyage to the USA.

Nice post... Spot on, and yet so very funny. Thank You!

What you fail to understand is the feelings of the Japanese people. We the current Japan

Are you the spokesperson for "the Japanese people"? If only I had 100 yen for every time I've heard someone start a sentence with "We Japanese".

South Korea has to protest against Japan's whitewashing of history because the Japanese won't do it themselves.

zichi

It would be better if both countries taught the true history and not any kind of revisionism.

Another Brilliant Assertion... LOL...

Since when is Korea, Teaching revised history...? Oh, I'm sorry, I must have missed that part in the history books about Korea, Invading and Colonizing Japan.... LOL... Oh, that must be the part they left out huh...? LOL....

It's funny though, all the other Asian Nations, except Japan, tell a pretty consistent story with regard to what Japan did to them over the last 100 years. It seems it's mainly Japan here that wants desperately to convince itself (and all those that will buy into it) that they are really the victim, not the other 86 Asian Nations... (But you'd have talk to YuriO to get the straight, unembellished, truth... haha...)