The pending introduction of a controversial history textbook in Japanese schools is straining ties between Tokyo and Seoul. It is not the first time critics have charged that Japanese school books gloss over the nation's war record. But many Japanese scholars are reluctant to revise the textbook, which is scheduled for use in Japanese schools starting next year. A new Japanese history book that has sparked outrage in South Korea and other Asian countries is also causing debate in Japan. But the government has said it will not revise the book, which already has received official approval for use in middle schools.
Critics contend that the book plays down Japan's wartime aggression in Asia.
For example, it describes the annexation of the Korean Peninsula as necessary for Japan's security and suggests that Japan's wartime rule helped to prepare Asian countries for independence from European colonial masters. Some analysts say Japan's refusal to revise the text reflects rising nationalism. Ken Arimitsu, a Tokyo-based human rights activist, notes that the text fails to mention the plight of the tens of thousands of Asian women who were victimized by Japanese soldiers. He says he believes it is justifiable for victims of World War Two to protest the contents of the book. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has insisted that under Japanese law the book cannot be changed since it has already received government approval.