Officials said a group of mainly university students were behind the attack, which also targeted five other Websites including that of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The attack comes ahead of this week's final review of the controversial school textbook which critics say fails to properly address Japan's past military aggression. Gloss over the past Japanese history textbooks, periodically updated under a system of screening by the Education Ministry, have roused fierce debate at home and in Asian countries invaded and occupied by Japanese forces in the first half of the 20th century. Critics say the draft also omits important details of Japan's 35-year occupation of the Korean peninsula, including the fact Koreans were barred from using their own language or names and had to pledge loyalty to the Japanese emperor.
Historians say Japanese rule was harsh and exploitative.
China and both North and South Korea have both attacked the draft text. South Korea's foreign minister summoned Japan's ambassador to Seoul to discuss the topic late last month, expressing the hope it would not impair relations that have improved in recent years. The court said the Japanese government need not pay the women compensation because forcing them into wartime sexual slavery was not a serious constitutional violation. One of the women has since died. Tokyo has acknowledged that its wartime army set up brothels and forced thousands of Koreans into military service, but it has refused to pay direct, or official compensation to individuals.