S. Korea denounces Japan for distorted history textbook

SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea denounced Japan Thursday for approving
another history textbook that whitewashes its wartime legacy.
Japan's education ministry gave the nod to the textbook published by a right-wing
group for use in junior high schools from next year until 2011. It is not unclear
yet how many schools will choose the new version.
The textbook justifies Japan's colonization of Korea from 1910-45 and also
glosses over the sexual enslavement of Korean women by Japan's military during
that time, according to South Korean officials.
"It is deeply regrettable that the Japanese government approved the distorted
history textbook. This kind of history distortion should be corrected
immediately," a South Korean foreign ministry official said.
He said that Seoul will lodge a complaint with Tokyo through diplomatic channels.
In 2001, Japan approved the right-wing publisher Fusohsa's history textbook which
glorifies Japan's past wrongdoings, drawing strong criticism from its neighboring
nations.
The Japanese government renewed its endorsement of the textbook in 2005.
It is used in only 81 junior high schools in Japan, 0.4 percent of the total.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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