Other observers on this matter state that while Japan presents itself as being more ethnically homogenous than both its western and eastern counterparts, the fact of the matter is that Japan's bloodline, as with most countries, is something of a hodgepodge, with the only real difference being that Japan's superiority complex makes this a bitter pill for Japanese people to swallow.

Japan watchers are quick to point out that this county's ongoing misperception about its superiority does not give it the right to force such false ideologies and nationalistic ideals on its people, including, in this latest debacle, its educators, who probably, through the most rudimentary of scholarly investigation, know the truth and wish not to support or condone past imperialism by singing "Kimigayo," which means the emperor's governance and bloodline will be everlasting, as is their inalienable right.

In fact, on Dec. 23, 2001, Japanese Emperor Akihito at a birthday press conference somewhat stunned the nation when he admitted his own Korean ancestry in the imperial bloodline, undermining the widely held myth of the "purity" and hence " supremacy" of Japanese blood.

"I am Japanese and even I know that historically Japan's bloodline is hugely mixed, with historical and DNA evidence proving this island nation has blood ties with Southeast Asia, North Asia and Austronesia and probably more," Keiko Gono, a leading sociologist told Xinhua recently.

"In fact, independent DNA studies have confirmed irrevocably that around 54 percent of paternal lineage here and 66 of maternal lineage is of Sino-Korean origin, and any individual or factions claiming otherwise are simply deluded and probably still believe the earth is flat," Gono said.

Nevertheless, Shimomura and Abe, both staunch nationalists, who, along with insisting the national anthem be sung in schools and universities, are also proponents of revising text books in schools to better reflect the government's political line on matters like history and issues pertaining to Japan's involvement in World War II, to paint a rosier picture of incontrovertible events for future young students.