Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's Remarks on Japanese Government's Approval of the Middle School History Textbooks

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2005-04-07 00:00

On April 5^th, the Japanese government announced the approval of 8 editions of the textbooks submitted to the review of the 2006 edition of middle school history textbook, among which is the right-wing history book that denies and glosses over aggression. The Chinese government expresses indignation at the Japanese government's sanction of the textbook that confounds black and white, despite of the repeated solemn representations by the Chinese side.

The essence of the textbook issue is whether Japan can correctly view and treat its history of militarist aggression and educate its younger generation with a correct outlook of history. The right-wing forces in Japan deliberately compiled the history book in order to plead for the Japanese militarism, gloss over aggression, and even overtly preach the "feat" of aggression. This is a provocation against human justice and conscience. It seriously hurts the feelings of the people in the victimized countries, and poisons the minds of the young people in Japan. It could not be more justified for the people of the victimized countries, including China, to strongly condemn it.

I need to point out that the sanction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) opens the way for this history textbook into classrooms. We strongly demand that the Japanese government should faithfully honor its commitment to remorse for its aggression history and immediately take effective measures to remove the odious impact arising thereof.