The controversy over official state-approved history textbooks in Japan, which omit or play down many episodes of Japan's occupation of neighboring countries before and during the Pacific War, and which have been challenged by critics who favor a more historically balanced approach, goes to the heart of Japan's sense of itself as a nation. The degree to which Japan is willing to confront its past is not just about history, but also about how Japan defines itself at present, and going forward. This book examines the history textbook controversy in Japan. It sets the controversy in the context...
The controversy over official state-approved history textbooks in Japan, which omit or play down many episodes of Japan's occupation of neighboring co...