Kaori Georges comments

Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Joseph:

Better would be to just split the islands and get along.

Sorry that will never happen. That's simply against the national interest from both sides.

smithinjapan:

perhaps allowing foreign scholars to give input into the history textbooks would be a good solution, although I doubt the closet historians here would allow it.

That will never happen either.  Like I said,  education is part of nation's strategy, it is too crucial. Likewise, in many nations they don't allow you to be involved in a strategic national planning unless you are a citizen.

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Joseph

one of the rules of war is that there are no rules. Japan was just at the cutoff point where the rules were about to be changed

This is something I can totally agree on. Was Japan informed about the new rule then? I don't think so. Tons of crimes can easily happen, that's the nature of war. While raping is no-no, why the heck killing is OK? How could we possibly selectively bomb non-civilians with 100% accuracy? Could we perfectly distinguish disguised soldiers with civilians in one glance? In the end, it is better to say war itself is bad, and in regard to that,  Japan engraved anti-war sentiment in the citizen's mind (good or bad, with GHQ's big help). That should count at least IF what they want is solely Japan's sincere remorse but of course I doubt that.

As for the comfort woman issue, considering multiple countries have same or similar stories, I think it most likely happened but I would be careful about evidence/testimony presented especially by C side as it might be fabricated. In either case, who knows which is a genuine evidence/witness or not? Most of the stories from any sides sound a sort of surreal. In reality, without a stedfast ground presented it could be just a tear-jerker fiction. It's like a child fight occurred without under your surveillance. Digging up an issue that no one can prove will go nowhere.

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Kaori, this is a thread about how Japan's education system and how it is not addressing the issues of history. If you have a problem with me taking a stance on that, that is your problem and yours alone... well, okay, not alone -- there are plenty of others willing to ignore the topic of the thread and let bias sway their posts beyond reason.

Yes, I'm aware of tha and I think I'm the one of those who try to stick on the topic most of the time ( see I haven't been scolded by the admin. :P).

I'm just saying "that's how the cookie crumbles" but if you want to continue your unfruitful journey with those people, good luck.

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Umm... I've already said that that is the case

Excuse me if I missed one but I simply do not have much time to go through all of your posts reflected to others bacause they are way too many.

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

smithinjapan:

I do, and have worked with them on it. Have you?

Why would I have to be engaged in educational position? Are you a licensed history teacher at Japanese school? How can you be so sure that you truly provide the students with a best education while you admit you can't teach without any biases? I hope you are licensed history teacher at least.

Having had opportunities to learn in three countries, I was lucky to be able to have more balanced views than those who just learned in one nation. So I naturally doubt those who asserts with certainty, what's taught in one nation's history class. Many non-Japanese seem to be confident that they know what's taught in Japanese schools around the country without actually witnessing it firsthand. Who could possibly tell the world what sushi tastes like without trying one before? Moreover, just because one sushi happened to contain a lot of bacteria doesn't mean food poisoning sushi is epidemic in the country. FYI, if you think the text book in question is used throughout the country you are wrong. They have different companies make 4 or so and open them to the public to gather public opinions during summer. So I would go give them my opinions if I were so worried about Japan's education rather than continuing unfruitful accusation here.

As for the PM announcements, I was just saying their inconsistency can cause a diplomatic confusion, even within the country. Even so it's their choice to make. I'm not supporting that feeble guy, Abe either.

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Whats makes things like this worse is there ares still politicians in japan who deny certain events of the war.

Yes, this is a major problem of Japan, inconsistent official announcements with the fluid PM position. Even though a former PM apologised, those successors easily nullify it, which I think gives a good excuse for C & K to use it as a diplomatic tool. (with that said, a part of me doubts any modest textbook could satisfy them though.)

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Not at all -- all textbooks are going to contain some bias, which I've already stated time and time again, and some (especially China) will contain a lot more than others.

Although I agree on that the other nations doing worse doesn't nullify what they are doing, somehow, Japan's education seems to be specifically "imperfect" to you for its outstanding evil glare and you only can't accept it as a common political strategy seen in an every nation even if it was most modest of all. Hope you eventually get mature enough to know that there are no politicians in the world that truly think of their citizens, let alone the other nations.

My point is that these omissions mean the students aren't learning about some of the past that occurred, and that is harmful to them and the nation as a whole.

Thank you for your concern but you obviously do not know how the actual class has been done by those Japanese teachers, even with the forceful use of the text book....sigh

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Sorry, posted the previous one with a wrong quote.

"New History Textbook (Atarashii Rekishi Kyokasho, 新しい歴史教科書)

I know the media played up this text book at a point so you could know the gist of it without reading it. BTW, there are two versions under the same title. Which one particularly are you mentioning? What page of it is actually downplayed? Do you know how many local governments actually used the textbook? My mother is Chinese and I was educated from both sides. Did you learn from both sides? And what's the exact reason why only Japanese one has to be "perfect" in your eyes? Like some other countries, there might be some subjective descriptions in it but my conclusion is that Japanese one is still far more neutral, for example, than a Canadian text book that tries to justifiy their Indian slaughter by saying "Colonization had its drawbacks but on the other hand the natives were introduced to Christianity" or something to that effect. BTW, do you really believe you can make a text book without standing any side of the views?

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

"New History Textbook (Atarashii Rekishi Kyokasho, 新しい歴史教科書) I know the media played up this text book at a point so you could know the gist of it without reading it. BTW, there are two versions under the same title. Which one particularly are you mentioning? What page of it is actually downplayed? Do you know how many local governments actually used the textbook? My mother is Chinese and I was educated from both sides. Did you learn from both sides? And what's the exact reason why only Japanese one has to be "perfect" in your eyes? Like some other countries, there might be some subjective descriptions in it but my conclusion is that Japanese one is still far more neutral, for example, than a Canadian text book that tries to justifiy their Indian slaughter by saying "Colonization had its drawbacks but on the other hand the natives were introduced to Christianity" or something to that effect. BTW, do you really believe you can make a text book without standing any side of the views?

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

Bottom line is, it's not South Korea or China's fault Japan white-washes its textbooks and omits most of the atrocities

I'm very curious to know, how many people here who are raising opinions about what's taught in Japanese class so assertively, have actually experienced Japanese history class or at least have read the text book? Can you give me the name of the publisher and text book, and its edition you are mentioning?

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Posted in: S Korea: Japan must educate its people about World War II See in context

It is sad to see there are still some non-Japanese who tend to speak without actually reading Japanese textbooks and simply swallow the whatever a louder voice or government/media says. From a person who actually attended history classes in Japan, it's mainly about memorization of a list of the historical facts for mere tests and exams with no trait of imperialism at all. Some schools even show a film of how bad the Japanese troops were during the war then have the students write an essay about why war is bad.

The truth is that Japan does teach the kids historical facts but it's not as much as Korea or China want them to. Due to their curriculum, they have to go through all of the events that happened since B.C., thus they don't have much time to focus on one particular part of history for weeks on end.

Textbooks often gloss over of colonial histories in an attempt to remain "neutral" but this does not accurately reflect what is being taught in class. Critical thinking exercises are up to the teacher, and it is wrong to say that a textbook eliminates serious class discussion.

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Posted in: Japan 'stole' our islands, Chinese foreign minister tells U.N. See in context

Seriously, who the heck would believe evidence from China's side when they shamelessly counterfeit historical photographs like they do with commercial products?

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Posted in: Japan 'stole' our islands, Chinese foreign minister tells U.N. See in context

At thisUN assembly, China's Foreign Minister also said "As a defeated country, Japan should follow the international establishment". Moreover, the spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that "it's outrageous that a defeated country takes over the victor's territory". This logic sounds as if America should follow whatever Vietnam says. It seems like its rooted from a superiority complex while using their historical misery as a diplomatic card.

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