Foreign Ministry official Qiao
Zonghuai summoned Japanese Ambassador Koreshige Anami on
Tuesday to lodge a solemn objection to the Japanese Ministry of
Education's approval of textbooks that deny history and glorify
Japan's wartime aggression.
Qiao noted that the Japanese government announced Tuesday that
all eight history textbooks for high schools submitted for approval
were approved, but they included those compiled by right-wing
forces and which deny crimes and glorify Japanese aggression during
World War II.
"The Chinese government is indignant at the Japanese government
for its approval of such textbooks that distort history in
disregard of repeated representations from China," Qiao said. "The
textbook issue largely determines whether Japan can appropriately
treat its militaristic history of aggression and instill in its
young citizens a right perception of that history."
He said that the textbooks deny justice and morality and that
their use will cause severe harm to people from all Asian countries
and poison Japanese juveniles.
"The textbooks will be vehemently condemned by people from all
Asian countries that were victimized by Japan, including the
Chinese," said Qiao. "We strongly urge the Japanese government to
honestly honor its commitment of expressing remorse for its
militaristic history, and take effective measures to eliminate the
odious impact of the issue."
On Tuesday afternoon, Chinese ambassador to Japan Wang Yi also
reiterated China's stance on the history textbook issue to the
Japanese government in Tokyo.
(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2005)