RENKEI PAX SCHOOL 2016 Group 3: The game of truth
Members:
Shungo Hosoi (Nagoya University), Ghadda Hayat (Ritsumeikan Asia PacificUniversity), Michael Robinson (University of Liverpool), Joana Morgado (RitsumeikanUniversity), Theosa Dinar Swastiningtyas (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University), Luiza Da
Silva Nakamura (Nagoya University)
Introduction:
As young researchers, engaged and committed to the process that is the expansion ofhuman knowledge, the access and circulation of facts and information within an educational
context becomes a very endearing topic. It is in regard to that matter, that group 3 foundmost appealing the choice of working about a censored textbook and developing a game thatwould allow its players to reflect on the complex issues that arise from censorship.
Therefore, the first part of this paper consists of an exposition of the contents
featured in the exhibition panels developed by the group, brushing on concepts of memoryand censorship, offering different examples of censorship across the globe and providing acase study of education and militarism in Japan. On the other hand, the second part
introduces the game concept that was developed to operationalize these subjects.
PART 1- PANELWhat part of your history has been blacked out?
MEMORY
Historical events happened and cannot be changed. However, how the event isunderstood and represented changes over time. This is true of how it is taught in classrooms,
represented on television and can even influence our own thoughts to an event. Censorshipcan be legally enforced but also unofficial. This is true across the world and across cultures.
Often (but not always) a historical event only enters the public domain if it corresponds withsocial sensitivities and political objectives.
CENSORSHIP
WHO does the censorship?
Censorship can be broad and many-sided. For example, the political establishment
can enforce it at State level, the media can endorse it, educational authorities canimplement it, and even individual civilians can play a role.
WHAT is the purpose of censorship?
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There are many purposes of censorship with two of the most famous motivations
including: 1. Distorting discreditable historical events. 2. Socio-Political Sensitivities.
HOW the authorities do the censorship?
1. It can be done by screening information before approving the release of items such
newspapers or Elementary School books.
2. Shutdown cultural events. 3. Forbid sensitive content from being released in media.

Photograph c. mid-1930s ofJoseph Stalin (leader of Soviet,Union, 1922-1953, and Nikolai
Yezhov, Chief of Secret Police,1936-1938). Yezhov fell frompower, was arrested and executedin 1940. He was subsequentlyerased from photographs takenwith Stalin.
Photo source: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/05/romans-didnt-like-theyderasehistory-damnatio-memoriae/

Censorship across the globe

Censored E. Jerusalem textbook (Photo: Jalal Abukhater).
Photo source: http://972mag.com/israeli-authoritiesimpose-censored-palestinian-textbooks-ineastjerusalem/26137/

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Since the signing of the Oslo Peace Accords in 1993, Israel Jerusalem Education
Administration (JEA) and the Israeli Ministry of Education has forced all public Palestinian
schools in East Jerusalem to use Israel-issued censored textbooks. The censored textbooks
removed the logo of the Palestinian Authority, pictures of the Palestinian ag, the terms
Nakba (meaning “catastrophe,” referring to Palestinian dispersion/exodus in 1948) andPalestinian right of return. Earlier history – from hundreds of years ago -, stories, songs, andpoems about of the first and second Palestinian uprisings have all been deleted.

Youth wing of the Indonesian Communist Party being arrested by a soldier. Photograph: Associated press. Photo source:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2015/oct/27/censorship-isreturningto-indonesia-in-the-name-of-the-1965-purges

In Indonesia the ruling regime censor sensitive aspects of history, especially in regard toCommunism Ideology during 1965. The regime still considers that Communism Ideology
contradicts with Pancasila, as the philosophical state pillar. of Indonesia. From 2006 until
2009 only, the government already banned 22 book titles to be released into public.

Literature being conscated during WWII. Photo Source: http://www.beaconforfreedom.org/liste.html?tid=415&art_id=4753During the 1930s, numerous books were lit on fire by the Hitler Jugend, the young
members of the Nazi movement. The books were burned in flames in order to cleanse theminds of people and society from any book written by a Jewish author, communist orhumanist.

Index Librorum Prohibitorum (1564). Photo Source: http://www.beaconforfreedom.org/liste.html?tid=415&art_id=475

The Index Librorum Prohibitorum was introduced in Europe in 1559. The index contains
lists of books that were banned by the Roman Catholic Church for their heretical orideologically dangerous content.
Censorship and Education in Japan
Militaristic Education

Children at a nursery school in Wakayama shout banzai on hearing the news of the capture of Nanjing, December 1937.
Taken from Asahi Shinbun. Photo Source: http://apjjf.org/-Adam-Lebowitz/2545/article.htmlIn the years that preceded the war, military symbols and the importance of loyalty tothe emperor and to the nation became a central part of education. The Act of ElementarySchools (1941) turned all elementary schools into National Schools, where students had4

military training and classes on Moral Education. Schools should not only teach how to readand write, but also train obedient soldiers, fostering a patriotic spirit. There was no room forquestioning war, and pacist voices were censored.
Censorship in the Post-war occupation

Censored Japanese Language Textook. Photo Cource: Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan Universiry

At the end of the war, and following the US occupation of Japan, a complete
reorganization of the educational system was carried out. Early corrective measures wereinstalled immediately. This included the elimination of military training in schools, as wellas the suspension of all courses in geography, history and ethics. Military personnel weredeployed to supervise the activities of schools, controlling information and censoring ideas
considered dangerous to security. The discussion on how to reform textbooks in order tofoster democratic values was a main part of the reform. While waiting for the writing of new
textbooks, the orders were that all passages considered inadequate should be deleted.
Textbooks in Japan today

News article about Prof. Ienaga’s nomination for the Peace Nobel. Globe and Mail, March 8, 2001 Photo Source:
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/alpha/ienaga/letter.htm

5Currently, in Japan, nongovernmental publishers create textbooks and submit themfor oficial examination and approval by the Ministry of Education. These books must meetthe requirements of the Curriculum Guidelines. Based on recommendations from the council,
the Ministry of Education requests that unsuitable passages undergo revision. There is still alot of controversy over the inclusion of Japan’s colonialism in Asia and acts of aggression
during the war in textbooks. A famous case is that of the lawsuit of Saburo Ienaga against
the Ministry of Education over censorship of the horrors committed by the Japanese militaryduring the war.
Lessons for the Future...
The representation of historical events is more than objective facts. You can attempt toovercome censorship by looking BEYOND knowledge. Expand your mind! There is always
more than one side to every story.
PART 2- GAME
Introduction:
During the Renkei Pax Summer School session in several museums, we asked to themuseum curator about ‘who are the major visitors that came and visit the museum?’ and theanswer is elementary and junior high school students during their field trip from the school.
Therefore, we decided and created the ‘The Game of Truth’ and targeted school kids as theplayer of the game.
There are two type of level game that can be played by the school students. Level 1
is designated for elementary school children and Level 2 is a little bit harder than level 2
based on the questions type in this level and designated for junior high school students.
However, everyone can play and enjoy both level of the game as long as they can answers
the questions and solve the riddle. As we had been taught during the game session that one
important part of creating the game is touch and feel aspect, therefore we create the sense of
touch and feel in our game. There are two aspects of touch and feel in our game, firstly, byincorporating the actual pictures of the textbook in the memory game and using magnets(more durable material) to cover the message/mirror up.
Basically speaking, ‘The Game of Truth’ aims to showcase the importance ofaddressing truth and reconciliation by understanding all aspects of your history/ dealing withthe totality of your past. It does so by showing how censorship operates (hiding/covering up)
and the messages it hides.
6Game Narrative
Imagine you can travel back in time to 1945 Japan and get the chance to meet me.
Let’s try to recover the censored parts of our past.
Can you help me regain back all that was erased from the history of japan?
Game Instruction
Level 1 – Memory game that uncovers a mirror.
Each covered piece on the board has a drawing that was blacked out in mytextbook.
Use your memory to find the matching pairs and uncover what’s behind it.
Can we find out the message?

Level 2 - Q&A game that uncovers a peace message
Each covered piece on the board has a character that was blacked out frommy textbook.
You will find some challenges on the way.
Answer the question correctly to uncover the character behind it. However, ifyou choose the wrong answer one cover will be put back on.
Can you find out the hidden message?

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