ID :
171993
Wed, 03/30/2011 - 18:27
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/171993
The shortlink copeid
Most new school texts describe Senkaku, Takeshima isles as Japan's
TOKYO, March 30 Kyodo - All seven civics textbooks that were newly approved for use at junior high schools from April next year describe the disputed Senkaku Islands and Takeshima islets as Japanese territories, the education ministry said Wednesday in announcing the results of recent textbook screenings.
The approval of the textbooks is likely to spark anger in Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the Japan-administered Senkakus, called Diaoyu in China, and prompted Seoul, which controls Japan-claimed Takeshima, referred to as Dokdo in Korea, to lodge a protest with Tokyo.
Also, all four geography textbooks that passed the first screening of junior high school textbooks in six years describe Takeshima as Japanese territory and refer to the territorial dispute between Japan and South Korea.
The results also showed all geography, history and civics textbooks refer to the Russian-held islands off Hokkaido -- Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group -- as Japan's Northern Territories, while Moscow calls them Southern Kurils.
After South Korea filed its protest, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano refrained from commenting on the specifics of the results and only said that the decision was made after academic and specialist deliberations, apparently out of concern not to worsen diplomatic relations with Seoul.
Foreign Press Secretary Satoru Sato told a press conference that it is a very sensitive issue for public sentiment in South Korea, but said ''it is important for both governments and peoples to adopt a broader standpoint and work together to prevent it from having a negative impact'' on bilateral ties as a whole.
The latest screening process saw more texts containing references to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and Takeshima islets in the Sea of Japan than those that passed the previous screening process and are in use.
Three of the eight civics textbooks currently available include references to the Senkakus and Takeshima, while Takeshima appeared in two of the six geography textbooks.
Japan has said a territorial dispute exists over Takeshima, but claimed such a dispute does not exist over the Senkakus.
In Shimane Prefecture, which has designated Feb. 22 as ''Takeshima Day,'' Gov. Zembee Mizoguchi said in a statement, ''We expect junior high school students nationwide will deepen their understanding of the territories.''
Last year, bilateral relations between Japan and China deteriorated after the Japan Coast Guard arrested a Chinese trawler captain following collisions with its patrol ships off the Senkaku Islands in September.
Noting, however, that applications for the latest screenings were filed before September, an official of the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry said the increase in texts referring to Senkakus is ''a reflection of a high public interest'' in territorial issues.
The approval of the textbooks is likely to spark anger in Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the Japan-administered Senkakus, called Diaoyu in China, and prompted Seoul, which controls Japan-claimed Takeshima, referred to as Dokdo in Korea, to lodge a protest with Tokyo.
Also, all four geography textbooks that passed the first screening of junior high school textbooks in six years describe Takeshima as Japanese territory and refer to the territorial dispute between Japan and South Korea.
The results also showed all geography, history and civics textbooks refer to the Russian-held islands off Hokkaido -- Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group -- as Japan's Northern Territories, while Moscow calls them Southern Kurils.
After South Korea filed its protest, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano refrained from commenting on the specifics of the results and only said that the decision was made after academic and specialist deliberations, apparently out of concern not to worsen diplomatic relations with Seoul.
Foreign Press Secretary Satoru Sato told a press conference that it is a very sensitive issue for public sentiment in South Korea, but said ''it is important for both governments and peoples to adopt a broader standpoint and work together to prevent it from having a negative impact'' on bilateral ties as a whole.
The latest screening process saw more texts containing references to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and Takeshima islets in the Sea of Japan than those that passed the previous screening process and are in use.
Three of the eight civics textbooks currently available include references to the Senkakus and Takeshima, while Takeshima appeared in two of the six geography textbooks.
Japan has said a territorial dispute exists over Takeshima, but claimed such a dispute does not exist over the Senkakus.
In Shimane Prefecture, which has designated Feb. 22 as ''Takeshima Day,'' Gov. Zembee Mizoguchi said in a statement, ''We expect junior high school students nationwide will deepen their understanding of the territories.''
Last year, bilateral relations between Japan and China deteriorated after the Japan Coast Guard arrested a Chinese trawler captain following collisions with its patrol ships off the Senkaku Islands in September.
Noting, however, that applications for the latest screenings were filed before September, an official of the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry said the increase in texts referring to Senkakus is ''a reflection of a high public interest'' in territorial issues.
