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Letters to the Editor
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Sir-I would like to express my deep indignation at the new Japanese history textbook for the year 2002 edited by right-wing Japanese scholars. It is totally shocking that the Japanese Education Ministry officially could stamp a seal of approval on a textbook that presents so many distortions with the aim of beautifying Japan's aggressive past.
This revised textbook was written with a view to whitewashing Japanese history of aggression and exculpating its right-wing militarists. This approved textbook disregarded the basic historical facts, which seriously hurt the feelings of the Asian countries, especially those that experienced colonial rule under the Japanese.
It is a well-known fact that Japanese militarists committed countless atrocities against the innocent Chinese people before and during World War Two. The textbook deliberately denies the facts of Nanjing Massacre, in which the Japanese militarists killed over 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.
As we know, there has always existed a number of right-wing conservatives both in the Japanese Government and the population at large. The growing influence of the right has contributed to the current move, especially those right wing politicians who can exert great influences on the Japanese governmental guidelines.
What's more, Japan's ambition to change its political culture and become a "major power" encouraged the effort to restore national pride and twist the truth. I still remember the Japanese book "Pride: a moment of fate", which beautified Japanese history of aggression, preached its national pride and advocated to elevate its political clout.
It is time for the Japanese Government to undertake a serious self-examination and stop its irresponsible and provocative actions. An appropriate recognition of history can serve the basic foundation of a national rebirth. National patriotism cannot be founded upon ignorance and the distortion of history.
Catherine Yang, Jiangsu
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