NORTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY FOUNDATION 05/2022
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Wee Ga-ya, Researcher at the Research Institute of Ancient and Medieval History of Korea
On Tuesday, March 29, the Japanese Ministry of Education announced the results of screening Japanese high school social studies textbooks to be used from 2023. This screening reflects Japan's course of study and its guidebook revised in 2018. In particular, it fully reflected the views of the Japanese government in the descriptions of Dokdo Island, forced mobilization, and the Japanese military ‘comfort women.’ The Northeast Asian History Foundation ("Foundation") reviewed 25 textbooks that include Korea-related content among 31 social studies textbooks that were authorized through the screening and held the <2022Seminar with Specialists on Authorized Japanese High School Textbook ContentAnalysis> with the Asia Peace and History Education Network on Wednesday, March 30.
The seminar was held both face-to-face (at the conference room of the foundation) and non-face-to-face (ZOOM) and started with the greetings of Nam Sang-gu, Director of Research Policy of the Foundation. In his speech, Director Nam briefly summarized the trajectory of the Japanese textbook issue to remind participants that it is not a domestic problem of Japan but it has been a global problem. For the task to resolve through the seminar, he suggested searching for a concrete plan to end the crisis of distorting history in Japanese textbooks.
Next, the results of analyzing the contents of authorized Japanese high school textbooks by topic were presented. Researchers Park Han-min and Seok Joo-hee of the Foundation presented “Analysis of Descriptions Related to Dokdo Island in Japanese High School Social Studies Textbooks Authorized in 2022,” and Han Hye-in, a researcher at the Asia Peace and History Education Network, presented 「Characteristics of the Descriptions of Forcefully Conscribed Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' in Japanese High School Textbooks for Elective Courses, 『Japanese History Exploration』 and 『Politics and Economy』, Authorized in 2022」.
Increased Description about Violating Dokdo's Territorial Sovereignty
Researchers Park Han-min and Seok Joo-hee analyzed how Dokdo Island is described in high school textbooks authorized in 2022 based on the course of study and its guidebook revised in 2018. According to the analysis, the Japanese government's claim of sovereignty over Dokdo Island was found in 20 authorized textbooks. The claim emphasizes 'Japan's indigenous territory,' 'Incorporation into Shimane Prefecture in 1905,' and 'Korea's illegal occupation.' At the same time, some cases did not initially reflect the course of study, but the content was modified after being authorized. 『General Geography』, 『Geography Exploration』, and 『Politics and Economy』 textbooks generally increased the contents on Dokdo Island while emphasizing the 'illegal occupation' by Korea. 『Politics and Economy』 juxtaposed Japan's 'peaceful efforts to resolve the issue' with Korea's 'illegal occupation.' One of the characteristics of the textbook descriptions of Dokdo Island was that geography and civics books placed emphasis on 'Japan's indigenous territory in contrast to 『Japanese History Exploration』 and 『World History Exploration』 that focused on the 'incorporation by Shimane Prefecture in 1905.'
Distortion Due to the Japanese Government’s Restrictions and Interference Related to the Content on Forced Conscription of the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’
Next, researcher Han Hye-in analyzed the characteristics of the contents related to the forced conscription and the Japanese military 'comfort women' described in the textbooks for 『Japanese History Exploration』 and 『Politics and Economy』. According to the analysis, almost all of these textbooks describe forced conscription and the Japanese military 'comfort women.' However, due to restrictions on the use of terms according to the Cabinet decision in 2021, words such as 'forced conscription' and 'following the army (Japanese army)' were deleted, which leaves the possibility of concealing the illegality and forcibleness of the forced mobilization of laborers and of reducing the role of the Japanese army in the 'comfort women' issue. However, it is encouraging to know that the involvement of the Japanese army is indicated for the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue and that the forced laborers are described as persons who were 'forcibly conscripted' and coerced to work under severe conditions due to the efforts of some authors, revealing the severity of the coercion and labor. Meanwhile, the concept of the expression 'forced conscription' needs to be described more clearly because it is possible that the Japanese government's recent actions may seem not unreasonable superficially since the term 'forced conscription' has not been used in South Korea but 'forced mobilization.' However, as it is self-evident that the Japanese government's policy is different in content from what Korea claims, it is necessary to clearly define what forced mobilization means.
What to do to Solve the Problem?
The discussions of this seminar comprised a discussion of designated panelists, researcher Eun Jeong-tae of Asia Peace and History Education Network ("APHEN") and researcher Jo Yoon-soo of the Foundation, on each presentation, followed by comprehensive discussions presided by Lee Shin-cheol, president of the APHEN, and participated by all of the presenters and designated panelists, Seo Jong-jin, head of the Institute for Korea-Japan Historical Issues of the Foundation, researchers Jo Geon and Wee Ga-ya, and professor Hong Jong-wook of Seoul National University Institute of Humanities. Discussions continued on the increase in the description of Dokdo Island and the need for a strict definition of terminologies, while issues were raised on the evaluation of the improvement in the description of 'colony' in Japanese history textbooks and on the parts that still need improvement.
As mentioned at the beginning of the seminar, there is a feeling that a series of events, comprising Japan's announcement of authorized textbooks, Korea's protest and request for correction, and Japan's refusal, have become an annual event similar to a rite of passage. Could there be any fundamental solution to the Japanese textbook problem? At the end of the seminar, Director Nam's remarks may have some implications.
“It is important for Korean, Chinese, and Japanese scholars to gather at the private level to develop common textbooks, communicate and interact. I think it is the role of the government to systematically and financially support joint research and the expansion of exchanges and make efforts to reflect the research outcomes in textbooks.”
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