Historical Consciousness and Japan, China and South Korea’s Shared History Teaching Materials¹

1 This article is a translation of a paper presented by Obinata Sumio on 7 October 2006 at Kobe, Japan, at a symposium sponsored by the Asia Pacific Research Centre, Kobe Gakuin University, Kobe, Japan. The article describes the process by which the ‘shared history textbook’ was produced and the motivation for the work having been undertaken. The article was translated by Vanessa B. Ward of Victoria University of Wellington. Since the book’s publication the issue of different interpretations of historical events has arisen anew, with disagreement about events in the second world war (including the circumstances by which ‘comfort women’ became associated with the Japanese forces in China and Korea). Japan’s Prime Minister Abe Shinzo began his term with a visit to China in October 2006,where it was agreed that further efforts were needed to arrive at a shared understanding of World War II events. As a result, further meetings of historians from Japan and China were to be held in order to achieve that objective. Thus the subject of Professor Obinata’s article relates to a major issue in Japan-China-Korea relations, one that can be expected to be of continuing interest and importance for the foreseeable future.The editors acknowledges with appreciation the willingness of Professor Obinata to see his remarks translated and made more widely available and are grateful to him for giving us the opportunity to publish his commentary in Political Science. Support from Victoria University’s School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations - and from Head of School Dr. Ken Perszyk - is also gratefully acknowledged [eds.].

Abstract

Relations between Japan, China and South Korea continue to be influenced by differing views of history. These diverse perceptions persist in part because of the different ways in which historical events are taught in each country. In 2005, however, a common history teaching resource, 'History to Open the Future — the modern history of Japan, China and South Korea', was published almost simultaneously in each of the three countries. This article, from one of the co-authors, elaborates on the rationale for the book, the process by which it came about, and the impact that the book has had on historical understanding among teachers, students and the general public.

• historical consciousness
• World War II
• Pacific War
• Japan
• China
• Korea
• textbooks

Notes

1 This article is a translation of a paper presented by Obinata Sumio on 7 October 2006 at Kobe, Japan, at a symposium sponsored by the Asia Pacific Research Centre, Kobe Gakuin University, Kobe, Japan. The article describes the process by which the ‘shared history textbook’ was produced and the motivation for the work having been undertaken. The article was translated by Vanessa B. Ward of Victoria University of Wellington. Since the book’s publication the issue of different interpretations of historical events has arisen anew, with disagreement about events in the second world war (including the circumstances by which ‘comfort women’ became associated with the Japanese forces in China and Korea). Japan’s Prime Minister Abe Shinzo began his term with a visit to China in October 2006,where it was agreed that further efforts were needed to arrive at a shared understanding of World War II events. As a result, further meetings of historians from Japan and China were to be held in order to achieve that objective. Thus the subject of Professor Obinata’s article relates to a major issue in Japan-China-Korea relations, one that can be expected to be of continuing interest and importance for the foreseeable future.The editors acknowledges with appreciation the willingness of Professor Obinata to see his remarks translated and made more widely available and are grateful to him for giving us the opportunity to publish his commentary in Political Science. Support from Victoria University’s School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations - and from Head of School Dr. Ken Perszyk - is also gratefully acknowledged [eds.].