Textbook row a sign of Japan's nationalism

SEOUL: In spite of angry opposition from Koreans and Chinese, the Japanese Ministry of Education announced Tuesday that it authorized all of the eight junior high school history textbooks submitted for approval to be used from the spring semester of next year.

Among these textbooks is the controversial one written by members of the Society for History Textbook Reform, an ultra- rightist group aiming to overhaul Japan's history education that they consider to be "biased and self-condemning."

It is said that the authors of the textbook revised as many as 137 sections of its 337-page text in line with the ministry's instructions. But it still looks obvious that the revisions, though so numerous, could not alter the underlying tone of the textbook justifying Japan's invasion and brutal oppression of its neighbors.

The Korean Foreign Ministry has immediately issued a statement expressing its "deep regret" over the approval of the disputed textbook. It said such a distorted view of history would not only be undesirable for Japan's future and its responsibilities in the international community but it would also damage Korea-Japan relations.

The government is apparently responding more sensitively than before. Officials from concerned ministries met on Wednesday to discuss ways of protesting the textbook, which may possibly include the rescheduling of the market opening for Japanese popular cultural goods and boycotting the bilateral ministerial conferences. They even seem to consider recalling home the ambassador to Japan. But this should undoubtedly be among the least practicable options, if the two countries intend to maintain friendly relations.

President Kim Dae-jung has evidently sent rays of sunshine not only to North Korea but to Japan as well since he took office in 1998. During his visit to Tokyo in October of that year, he proposed that the two nations build a "future-oriented relationship," putting their tragic history behind them.

But the resurgent nationalism among the Japanese in recent years has made the Koreans feel increasingly uncomfortable. From the viewpoint of many Koreans who still remember Japan's atrocious rule in the early 20th century, the rising jingoism across the strait cannot but be deemed an unpleasant move, if not exactly a threat.

The intermittent controversy over Japan's history textbooks could be mistaken as a leftover issue from the past or an expression of inferiority from the Koreans who were once Japan's colonial subjects. But this is a misguided notion, particularly when viewed from the position of many Asians who experienced Japan's extreme nationalism and militarism. In this regard, the history textbook issue is a serious issue that relates to the future of Asia, and even world peace at that.

The Japanese should take to heart the deep chagrin felt by people in Korea, China and other Asian countries. And it would be wise for the Japanese government to instruct further revisions or an entire rewriting of the disputed textbook. It is because, in the long run, such a distorted history textbook will not serve their national interest. It will only instigate a dangerous brand of nationalism raising its head among the Japanese today.

Korea needs to tackle the issue with multidimensional approaches from the government down to the academia and the civil society. The government must come up with a carefully devised strategy this time around, hopefully in alliance with other Asian countries who also suffered the scourge of Japanese imperialism. The academic communities of these countries could form a council for joint studies of history. The teachers and the civil society may jointly launch a campaign to reject incorrect textbooks.

The Japanese must wake up from the erroneous perception that they were the victims of World War II. The leaders of Japanese society must give up appealing to the public nostalgia for a shattered dream of building a great East Asian empire. They must learn to interpret history with deference to justice.

-- The Korea Herald/Asia News Network