Japanese Minister: “Too Many History Books Contain Self-inflicted Content”

Japanese Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology minister Nakayama Nariaki made yet another absurd remark, saying that there are too many Japanese history books which contain self-inflicted content.

On January 29, Nakayama complained at his inaugural ceremony as minister that some Japanese history books only depict Japan’s evildoings.

Beginning his inaugural speech, he seemed to care about the previous misstatement on Japanese history books, saying that he had no intention to make another improper remark.

However, he added that he wanted to continue making absurd remarks, which arouses suspicions of his intended statement on Japanese history books.

He also stressed that he wanted to change the expression "the instillation of patriotic sentiments" to "patriotism" in the revised bill, mentioning the rejection of the revised Fundamentals of Education Act by the opposition coalition party.

Nakayama elucidated last November that he just was voicing his own opinion after saying that Japanese history books were very atrocious and only talked about Japanese brutalities, which caused a great stir in and out of the country.

Nakayama’s controversial remarks on history books is likely to influence the Japanese Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology Ministry’s examinations of potential 2006 middle school history books.

A five-term lawmaker, Nakayama served as a representative at "The meeting for Japan’s future and history education," which insists on the deletion of "forced walking" and "comfort women" terms used in relation to the Japanese military.

Won-Jae Park parkwj@donga.com