 |
| Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a news conference in Tokyo, March 16. The Japanese government has deleted words that show the coercive nature of its World War II atrocities against Koreans in school textbooks for use starting in 2023, according to a related ministry's announcement. Reuters-Yonhap |
The Japanese government has deleted words that show the coercive nature of its World War II atrocities against Koreans ― forced labor and sexual enslavement ― in school textbooks for use starting in 2023, according to a related ministry's announcement.
It has also strengthened its sovereignty claim to Dokdo, a pair of Korea-controlled rocky islets in the East Sea, in the textbooks to be used by second and third graders in high schools.
The expression "forced mobilization" regarding Koreans forced into hard labor at Japan's mines or industrial facilities has been revised to "mobilization" or "conscription" in the education ministry's screening and censorship process. Korea was under Japan's brutal colonial rule from 1910-45.
As for Korean women enslaved by Japan's imperial army, many of the textbooks, approved by the ministry, have left out the expression "wartime comfort women" or played down related historical facts.
On the other hand, Japan's assertions that Dokdo belongs to it, or Korea is illegally occupying the territory, have been emphasized more. (Yonhap)
![[INTERVIEW] Leandro Erlich's questioning of our perception of reality carries new meaning in pandemic](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/4e0bfee487254348a54493b1502067fa.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Im Si-wan found own narrative for villain role in 'Emergency Declaration'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/3d4e96e353be489fa38b3d3fabc7321a.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
