China Slams Japan Over History TextbookThe Chinese government and people are strongly indignant about and dissatisfied with the new Japanese history textbook for the year 2002 compiled by right-wing Japanese scholars.Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao announced this here Tuesday, in response to the Japanese government's approval of the textbook. He said that the Japanese government has approved a textbook which confounds right and wrong, disregarding the solemn representations made many times by the Chinese government and people and the just appeals of the people of other Asian countries. It must be pointed out that the basic reactionary and absurd nature of the textbook has remained, although many parts of it have been amended, Zhu said. The textbook, which intentionally blurs the nature of the aggressive war launched by the Japanese invaders, does not reflect on the deep tragedies brought about by the Japanese militarists to the Asian people, but instead whitewashes and exculpates the atrocities committed by the Japanese troops, he noted. This is simply defiance of the historical facts and the conscience of humanity, and an insult to the feelings of the Asian people, who were the victims, the spokesman said. The Asian people, including the Chinese people, will never accept this, Zhu warned. This incident reveals once again that in Japan there exist ultra-rightist forces who have been trying to deny and whitewash that country's history of aggression, and who are still bent on aggression, Zhu pointed out, adding that their actions call for a high state of vigilance from peace-loving people around the world, including the Japanese people. However, Zhu continued, the Japanese government has turned a blind eye to the responsibilities it should shoulder by allowing such a textbook to be published, which will inevitably result in serious doubts among the international community as to what position the Japanese government is taking on the historical issue and whether Japan was sincere in its introspection and apologies made in the past. "We have taken note of the statements made again by the Japanese chief cabinet secretary and education minister on the historical issue, and hope that the Japanese side can keep its word and live up to its responsibilities, take concrete measures to correct errors in the textbook in accordance with the Sino- Japanese Joint Statement and Joint Declaration, and safeguard the general situation of bilateral relations with its deeds," Zhu added. Educators Indignant over New Japanese History TextbookA spokesman with the Chinese Ministry of Education said Tuesday that the education circle of China are indignant over a new Japanese history textbook for the year 2002.The spokesman made the remarks here in response to the Japanese government's approval of the textbook. The spokesman said the Japanese government has the front to approve the textbook, which, compiled by the Japanese right-wing scholars, has turned a blind eye to Japan's aggression against China and other Asian countries, distorted the history and even gone so far as to whitewash and exculpate the Japanese militarists. The Japanese government, disregarding the just and strong appeal of the people in Asian countries including China, went its own way to approve the textbook that denies and beautifies the aggression of the Japanese militarists, thus stirring up widespread indignation among the Chinese education circle, the spokesman said. The spokesman urged Japan to look squarely at its history, take a responsible attitude toward the education of its younger generation, and adopt effective measures to amend the erroneous and absurd representations in the textbook. |
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