War Memory, Nationalism and Education in Postwar Japan
The Japanese History Textbook Controversy and Ienaga Saburo's Court Challenges
Author: Yoshiko Nozaki Series: Routledge Contemporary Japan Series
The controversy over official state-approved history textbooks in Japan, which omit or play down many episodes of Japan's occupation of neighbouring countries during the Asia-Pacific War (1931-1945), and which have been challenged by critics who favour more critical, peace and justice perspectives, 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 of debates about memory, and education, and in relation to evolving politics both within Japan, and in Japan's relations with its neighbours and former colonies and countries it invaded. It discusses in particular the struggles of Ienaga Saburo, who has made crucial contributions, including through three epic lawsuits, in challenging the official government position. Winner of the American Educational Research Association 2009 Outstanding Book Award in the Curriculum Studies category.
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Summary
The controversy over official state-approved history textbooks in Japan, which omit or play down many episodes of Japan's occupation of neighbouring countries during the Asia-Pacific War (1931-1945), and which have been challenged by critics who favour more critical, peace and justice perspectives, 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 of debates about memory, and education, and in relation to evolving politics both within Japan, and in Japan's relations with its neighbours and former colonies and countries it invaded. It discusses in particular the struggles of Ienaga Saburo, who has made crucial contributions, including through three epic lawsuits, in challenging the official government position. Winner of the American Educational Research Association 2009 Outstanding Book Award in the Curriculum Studies category.
Description
The controversy over official state-approved history textbooks in Japan, which omit or play down many episodes of Japan’s occupation of neighbouring countries during the Asia-Pacific War (1931-1945), and which have been challenged by critics who favour more critical, peace and justice perspectives, 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 of debates about memory, and education, and in relation to evolving politics both within Japan, and in Japan’s relations with its neighbours and former colonies and countries it invaded. It discusses in particular the struggles of Ienaga Saburo, who has made crucial contributions, including through three epic lawsuits, in challenging the official government position.
Winner of the American Educational Research Association 2009 Outstanding Book Award in the Curriculum Studies category.
Critic Reviews
“"In summary...the book is a good read with substantial material on the account of the long processes of Ienaga's court challenges and the overall controversies about the interpretation of the troubled national past of Japan." - Masako Shibata, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences,University of Tsukuba, JapanAsia Pacific Journal of Education”
"This slender book by SUNY Buffalo professor Nozaki is about as compact and insightful a study of Japanese postwar historiography as one could ever desire...The writing is clear throughout, the argument vigorous, and the use of evidence impeccable. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." - CHOICE, Aug. 2009 Vol. 46 No. 11
'...topic is the ongoing fight over what should be in Japanese history textbooks since 1945, particularly regarding representations of the Asia-Pacific War. Since this subject has long been of international interest, English-language information on the textbook wars is plentiful, although much of it is in obscure places. In other words, few of the facts presented here are new, although they are very conveniently and lucidly organized and explained. This is no small service. I, for one, find it impossible to hold in my head the timelines and legal issues specific to each of Ienaga Saburo’s three textbook trials and would much rather refer to Nozaki’s clear summary than once again work my way through all the fading photocopied articles in my file cabinet.' - Laura Hein, Northwestern University, Social Science Japan Journal. vol12,no 2, Winter 2009
'Nozaki presents readers with an impressive synthesis and analysis of Ienaga's lawsuits and in the process sheds light on a number of important issues central to the nature of Japan's postwar capitalist democracy' - Kristine Dennehy, Califonia State University, Fullerton, Monumenta Nipponica 64:2 (2009)
About the Author
Yoshiko Nozaki
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