Stop the fascist textbooks! 
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Stop the fascist textbooks!
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WE DENOUNCE OFFICIAL APPROVAL OF THE TEXTBOOKS, WHICH FALSIFICATE HISTORICAL FACTS AND GLORIFY JAPANESE IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION AND EMPEROR SYSTEM.
——NO U.S. WAR PROVOCATION
AGAINST CHINA! ——
(1)
On April 3 the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
announced the outcome of textbook screening which approved the history and civics
textbooks for the junior high school, edited by an ultra-rightist, fascist group,
“Tsukurukai” (the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform).
We denounce categorically the governmental authorization of the fascist-made
textbooks. We shall by all means force to withdraw this decision and never allow
Tsukurukai's textbooks to appear in classrooms.
We declare our determination to prevent adoption of the textbooks by the local
Boards of Education and municipalities including in Suginami Ward in Tokyo,
and to crush this reactionary attempt once for all by the all-out offensive
of the people.
We are determined to wage a decisive struggle against governmental attempt of
reactionary “education reform” materialized first of all in the said
authorization of the textbooks of Tsukurukai as its ideological axis and at
the same time against planned revision of the Constitution (of which main issue
being abolition of the non-war clause, i.e. Article 9), for these two issues
are closely connected in their class character. Our present task as JRCL is,
therefore, to win in the coming election of the Metropolitan Assembly (in June)
as an important step in the Constitution and Education struggle.
The textbooks of Tsukurukai glorify prewar Japanese history of invasion into,
and colonization of Asian countries and omit intentionally undeniable historical
facts of wrongdoings and atrocities committed against Asian people by the Japanese
Imperial Forces during colonial rule and in the Pacific War—an aggressive
imperialist war. The textbooks distort, obliterate and even justify cruel historical
deeds of Japanese invasion and aggression in Asia. No words of reflection and
self-examination are to be found in this textbooks upon the historical crime
of “the Japanese Empire” culminating in the Second World War. Suffering
of the Japanese workers and people under tyranny of the Emperor system by means
of the “Maintenance of Public Order Act” is also completely concealed.
Nor is there any description of postwar reflection and determination of the
Japanese people—“We shall never repeat war”. Underlying historical
concept of this fascist-written textbooks are open praises of the “Imperial
view of history”.
The newly approved textbooks are thus nothing but open declarations of Japanese
imperialism to re-invade in Korea, China and other Asian countries and to re-establish
at home a despotic state under the Emperor system. To allow this reactionary
scheme is, therefore, to strangle class consciousness and internationalism of
the Japanese working class and people through their own irresponsibility.
Asian people are raging fiercely upon the approval by the Japanese government
of the textbooks written by Tsukurukai. This is an inevitable explosion of their
indignation against past Japanese invasion and also an urgent appeal to us Japanese
workers and people for a joint action against present danger.
On March 11 a joint-declaration of North and South Korean workers was issued
to denounce the textbooks of Tsukurukai. Three labor organizations, namely,
the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions
and the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea
denounced the distortion of history by Japanese militarists and appealed to
labor organizations of Japan and the rest of the world for joint protest actions.
We must wage a decisive struggle in response to this appeal.
The textbook struggle is a life and death matter for the Japanese workers and
people in its responsibility as a revolutionary class. We call for a resolute
fight against the Tsukurukai's textbooks as a self liberating struggle and as
an international joint action.
It is inevitable that this struggle diametrically confronts Fascist forces headed
by ISHIHARA Shintaro, Tokyo Governor. Thus Suginami Ward will be the biggest
battlefield for us in this decisive struggle.
(2)
1) The history textbook of Tsukurukai
claims, first of all, “History is not a science”. Its aim is to prevent
criticism on modern as well as contemporary history of Japan. It describes modernization
process of Japan as glorious history under the Emperor system (Tenno Bonapartism),
which was in fact a cruel history of incessant wars of aggression combined with
colonial rule and Imperialist terrors at home and abroad. Thus the textbook
tries to avert serious and fundamental account and reflection over Japanese
modern history, distorting and falsifying historical facts in a shameless way.
Secondly, the textbook neglects national liberation struggle of Asian people
against imperialist big powers, praises Japanese imperialist development, justifies
Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) from Japanese side,
ignores anguish and suffering of the Asian people caused by Japanese aggression
and colonial rule, disregards creative unfolding of national liberating power
of Asian people vis-à-vis Japanese invasion, and idealizes modern Japan
as a “success”, thus looking down upon the Asian people.
Thirdly, the textbook conceals by every means what actually happened in Asia
during Japanese war of aggression and colonial rule, and calls Japanese wars
in Asia “Wars for the liberation of Asia”. It means first of all justification
of Japanese annexation of Korea (1910). All the historical facts originating
in Japanese imperialist invasion in Asia are completely and intentionally erased
in this fascist-made textbook: unlawful taking up of lands and deprivation of
languages and surnames from the Korean as well as the Chinese people, enforcement
of those people to be Japanese subjects, forcible mobilization and transportation
of Asian people to the military as well as civil service of imperialist Japan
during colonial rule over Korea, Taiwan and northeastern China, degenerating
in the unpardonable historical war crime of Japanese imperialism, namely military
“comfort women” system (a war-time sexual slavery) .
The textbook also denies lot of brutalities committed by Japanese army during
the war of aggression on China, such as the “Sanko operation” (“kill,
plunder, and burn them all”) i.e. indiscriminate massacre of innocent inhabitants,
the “Unit 731” medical experiment, plundering of resources, land robbery
and mass slaughter of peasants in northeastern China and, above all, notorious
“Nanking Massacre” (1937 massacre of hundreds of thousands of Chinese
civilians, inhabitants and capitulated soldiers in Nanking by invading Japanese
troops).
Fourthly, the textbook moreover idealizes prewar Emperor system and the Japanese
Imperial Constitution as symbols of “democratic modern Japan”, and
also praises the “Imperial Rescript on Education” and the “Imperial
Rescript for the Military”. On the other hand, domestic suppression of
workers and people and discrimination of the Buraku people by the Security Police
and the Military Police under the system of the “Maintenance of Public
Order Act”—in a word, brutal political rule by means of terrorism
in the name of the Emperor—these historical facts are totally concealed
in the textbook. The responsibilities of the Emperor for waging imperialist
wars, conducting ferocious colonial rule in Asia and postwar delivering of Okinawa
to the US domination (1945-72) are not at all questioned.
Quite on the contrary, the textbook praises openly an ideology of Japan as Divine
Country—“Imperial view of history”, which has fundamentally been
denied after the Second World War. It even sets out to revive falsification
of the ancient history of Japan, regards the Jimmu Emperor(a figure in the foundation
myths) as the first real emperor, and claiming fabricated mythology of the Imperial
Family to be an authentic Japanese history.
Fifthly and finally, the textbook justifies the Pacific War as a war of “self-defense”
of Japan against the US and glorifies the suicide commandos (“Kamikaze”
pilots) and the “BANZAI attack” (desperate battle) in the war.
2) As for the civics textbook by the
same authors, its front page carries a headline: “National border line
and emergency in areas surrounding Japan” followed by an illustrated article
on “invasion of Chinese fishing boats” into Japanese territorial waters;
so-called “Japanese northern territory” issue; a fabricated story
of “threat of North Korea” with ballistic missile “Taepodon”;
the issue of an unidentified ship on the China Sea; landing on a Chinese Diaoyutai
islands by an armed Japanese right wing team; the hostage incident in the Japanese
Embassy in Peru and hostage rescue operation of the Self-Defense Forces etc.
etc. All of these presentations are aimed at instigating chauvinistic terror
and war of aggression in Asia.
In its main text, it dares to overturn current official interpretation of the
Japanese Constitution in stating: “the 9th Clause [of the Constitution]
admits to exercise right of self-defense”. While applauding the Self-Defense
Forces, it degrades civil rights, the primary ideal of the postwar Constitution,
and subordinates them to “obligation to the state” and “fidelity
to the state”. The textbook of civics by Tsukurukai is thus endorsing feverishly
reactionary revision of the Constitution and revival of conscription.
(3)
Underlying intention of the textbooks of Tsukurukai is to mobilize younger generation
to a war of aggression on Asia and a war against the US as a desperate exit
from the present crisis of the Japanese imperialism through propagating “national
defense” “patriotism” “loyalty to the Emperor” “Japan
as a great leader of Asia” etc. Those actual aims are revision of the Constitution
and reform of the postwar educational system.
The reactionary attempts initiated by Tsukurukai are closely connected with
the governmental enforcement of “Hinomaru and Kimigayo” (national
anthem and national flag, both of which symbolize prewar Japanese Imperialist
aggression in Asia) at the ceremonies of public schools and administrative punishment
and expulsion of militant, conscientious teachers who resist this enforcement.
Spearheads of this reactionary attack are: the right wing group of the Liberal
Democratic Party, governing party (Nakasone, Mori, Murakami and Koyama, both
notorious for their recent bribery issue of KSD [Small Business Manager Welfare
Work Corporation]); Shintaro Ishihara, Tokyo Governor and Yamada, chief of Suginami
Ward; “Revisionist” historians, i.e. pretending Liberals; reactionary
right wing bourgeois press headed by the Sankei Shinbun; and anti-Communist
groups such as Shokyo-Rengo (Defeat Communism League [the political organization
of the Unification Church]) etc. Those who are operating reactionary “Hinomaru
and Kimigayo” campaign in Hiroshima and Kunitachi (suburbs of Tokyo) are
also working as reactionary agents of Tsukurukai on textbooks issue.
Since the legislation of the ceremonial obligation of “Hinomaru and Kimigayo”
in 1999, the struggle has been mounting vigorously this year in a larger scale
than last year among the teachers defying administrative warning and punishment
of the local Boards of Education and school masters as countermeasure. With
the teachers, junior high school and high school students in the forefront,
labor unions, ZAINICHI (living in Japan since prewar era under the forced circumstances
of Japanese colonization and oppressions) Korean, Chinese and Asian people,
Ainu-people, people in Okinawa, the Buraku people, “handicapped” people,
religious people, intelligentsia, parents, inhabitants—these broad stratum
of people are joining in the locally coordinated struggle. Through ferment of
the mass militant struggle revival of teachers' movement as worker's movement
will surely be realized. Thus violent and decisive confrontation against the
government and Japanese imperialism is being launched.
We are convinced that the struggle against the textbooks of Tsukurukai will
inevitably develop into a decisive class battle with tens of thousands of workers
and people participating in an international solidarity with Asian people. Whether
we admit once again Japanese military invasion and aggression on Asian countries
and brutal Imperial suppression as well or not depends upon this struggle.
Our present task is to denounce energetically the authorization by the government
of the fascist-made textbooks and to prevent by all means its adoption by the
local Boards of Education. Central battlefield is, needless to say, Suginami.
Let's fight for the victory in the coming election of the Metropolitan Assembly
with our candidate in Suginami Mr. KESHIBA Seiichi who advocates anti-war stance.
We denounce hereby US war provocation against China exposed by the recent collision
of a US spy plane with a Chinese jet fighter in the sky over the South China
Sea on April 1. Let's fight against attempts to joint aggression of US and Japanese
imperialism on China and Korea!
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