V) Problems of Japanese History Education
Just apology and reflection are seen in Japanese history education. It does not have our own realistic and proper roles how to contribute to international society. As a result, the contradiction has been widening year by year since the Gulf War in 1991.
Professor Fujioka read the following sentences again and again.
"Most Japanese have seriously felt sorry since soldiers of a multinational force mainly
consisted of U.S. Army sacrificing their lives in the Persian Gulf. Even though they sacrificed their lives to protect values and profits most Japanese enjoyed, only the Japanese were in the safe zone. Japanese did not do anything because they have peace Constitution.
Not a few people would not want to commit any wars, but Japan still had declared the peace Constitution. Their ethics were bitterly charged by Americans, who actually exposed themselves to danger for the justice to stop aggression." ("Missile fired from the Gulf to Japan" by Nobuo Noda)
A lot of Japanese scholars of the Constitution insist that the 9th Clause of Japanese Constitution would contribute to the world-wide peace. However, it is actually powerless and unrelated to prevent wars. Peace and history education in Japan is a
one-sided way to look at things clearly. It lacks the attitude to creating world-wide peace by Japanese.
Japanese realized the importance of peace from the Pacific War and through peace education, but it is doubtful that Japanese seek the peace is based on democracy, liberalism, and free economy, or the peace by acceptting dictatorship and a policy of aggression from the Gulf War.
Japanese Army invaded Asian countries during the Pacific War. Some say that Japanese Self-Defense Army participated in PKO, so Japan is already a threat to Asian countries. In spite of the Gulf War's lessons, Japanese history education did not seem to seek our own realistic and proper roles in the international society yet.
On the contrary, Japanese history education has still emphasized apology and reflection rather than realistic and proper roles in international society. The crimes of Japan's prewar and wartime have been overstated.
They are distorted in order to protect Japan's peace only since the Gulf war occured in 1991. Comfort women's problem is caused as one of materials to protect one country's pacifism. Those who believe their own righteousness and justice picked up the issue of comfort women.
" After Japanese Self-Defense Force participated in PKO, such as removing mines and repairing roads in Cambodia, does it threaten to the peace of Asian countries? Japanese has enjoyed democracy for fifty years. Revival militarism in Japan denies the whole human being's progress. As Japanese are easily deceived, they are regarded as foolish."
Japanese history education requires to verify distorted facts in order to seek our own realistic and proper roles in international society. Of course, Japan must apologize and reflect in some cases of war crimes.
Fujioka seeks the Japanese roles of realistic and proper international society, and he established "Japanese Institute for Orthodox History Education." He would improve problems of Japanese history education in the near future. His trials have been accepted by a lot of non-political people.
This author is just a member of "Japanese Institute for Orthodox History Education."
Reference Data
Kyoukasyo ga osienai rekishi (History that textbook doesn't teach), Sankei Newspaper, 1996
Kingendaishi no jugyoukaikaku(4) (Lessons' Reform of Modern History IV), Meiji Tosho, 1996
Fujioka, Nobukatu. Ojokuno Kingendaishi: ima kokufukunotoki (Humiliation of Modern History: Now Is the Time to Overcome It), Tokuma-Syoten, 1996
Go back