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Rob_Hugo@PortNWHistory textbook revisionism in Japan has always been a controversial issue. It seems that ever since WWII, this issue has been in debate. In 2004 the biggest debate in the news was over the publication of a high school history textbook that was accused of hiding the truth about Japanese atrocities committed during WWII. This textbook, published by the Fuso Publishing Inc. was rejected by Chinese government officials as well as officials in South Korea. Still, the Japanese government refused to correct the textbook claiming that no points have been discovered in contrast to the historical facts. (chinadaily.com 2004-08/27)
AnonymousOnce again, the high school history textbook issue is in the news. This time the issue has to do with a mass suicide that took place in Okinawa among Japanese military at the end of WWII. Formerly, Japanese high school textbooks claimed that the Japanese military officials forced these suicides to take place. Starting in the 2008/2009 school year, The Japanese Ministry of Education has announced that the new history textbooks will include the event, but will not claim that it was a "forced" event.
AnonymousFor many years the National Anthem of Japan has been in debate. Many people desire a new National Anthem to be made. This issue hit the news again in March, 2007, as many graduation ceremonies were taking place. Thirty-five teachers received salary deductions, suspensions and other forms of punishments and warnings because they refused to stand during the singing of the National Anthem at the ceremonies. Many people are refusing the Anthem because it has a connotation of Emperor worship.
AnonymousOn September 6, 2006, His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito was born to Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino. This is a significant event in Japan, as for quite some time there was no male heir to the throne born in any of the royal families. The eldest son, His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Crown Princess Masako have one daughter but no sons. It became a rather hot issue in Japan for a while, as to whether a girl should be able to inherit the throne. This issue was put to rest, however, when the current Emperor's second son announced the birth of his third child, His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito. I find it interesting that this was such a hot issue, because historically Japan has experienced female emperors in the past.
AnonymousI just read in the Yomiuri Shimbun (Japanese Newspaper) that parents of Japanese school children are continuing to debate the topic of whether to give school children two days off per week or not. Most parents are complaining that the students education has been slipping because of the extra day off. The Ministry of Education in Japan has decided begin assesment testing (similar to the STAR testing) for students in the 6th and 9th grades. This is the first time to test in such a manner in 43years.
AnonymousThe Japan Times, Thursday, April 26, 2007, posted a photo online in connection with the sports report. The photo shows Red Sox pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima posing in their dugout at Fenway Park on Tuesday with Showa Boston students Ayano Muroi, Erika Gomi and Michiko Sogawa. The schoolgirls presented the players with sets of senbazuru, gifts of 1,000 paper cranes tied together. Senbazuru are sometimes used to wish a sports team good luck. According to Japanese legend, tying the 1,000 origami cranes together will make one's heart's desire come true. So who is ready to make some cranes?
Perhaps you have heard of the young Japanese girl, Sadako Saski, who survived the bombing of Hiroshima, only to die of radiation poisoning a decade later. She began tying the cranes together in an effort to beat the odds and survive but while she witnessed all the other children in her ward dying before her, she changed her desire to something much bigger that just her own survival, she wished for world peace. The crane is a symbol of peace and longevity. According to the Old Book of Origami by Senbazuru Orikata (1797), "If one crane has a hundred years of life, a thousand cranes will have a million years of life." So, this concept has been around for some time; however, nowadays people make senbazuru to pray for world peace, success in business, curing illness or sickness and passing entrance exams and winning elections. Perhaps, we should be making some senbazuru prior to the STAR testing this next week. And finally, since the article is really about the subject of baseball...GO DODGERS!
-Susan Pavelka Gregg[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Apr 25, 7:58:07 PM"][/Edit]
AnonymousWow, it just hit the news. Toyota car sales has surpassed GM car sales for the very first time. During the first quarter reports for 2007, Toyota is selling more cars! I am a GM fan so it will be interesting to see what happens during sales for the entire 2007 year. I also see that Nissan is loosing ground. It has sales dropping by 57%. It will be interesting to what happens to the Japanese car market.
AnonymousI know the young lady you are speaking of (well I know of her), and I have used her
story in a few lessons. One year my students chose a project to improve our community in the spirit of this wonderful young lady. I believe we need to do more of these human connection lessons with our classes.
AnonymousMost of my Japanese students here go to school 6 days per week - they have Saturday school as well as special Japanese classes after school Monday through Friday. It will be interesting to find out the results of the government study because many children need the mental break and time to rejuvenate, thus increasing their ability to concentrate and retain information.
AnonymousFollowing last night's seminar and our discussion about Japan during the war years, this article, "The truth about Japan's 'comfort women'" posted by Chris Smith member of Congress, on Segye.com, May 1, 2007, seems to be an appropriate one to include on the web forum. Apparently, according to the article, Prime Minister Shinzo has recently denied that Asian women were manipulated to be sexual slaves during the war years by Imperialist Japan. Few of these damaged women, numbering over 200,000 survive today; however, the government of Japan does not wish acknowledge these crimes of war and much of this information has been minimized in Japanese school texts referring to Japan's role in World War II. During colonial Japan, from 1930 through the end of World War II, Smith writes, "the government of Japan organized the subjugation and kidnapping...as young as 13 years of age and women separated from their own children or abducted from their homes to be lured into sexual servitude under false pretenses" (Smith). Many of these female victims of sexual crimes were either killed or pushed due to their given circumstance to commit suicide because of the shame they carried following these atocities. The article claims that these tragic victims are part of one of the "largest cases for human trafficking in the 20th century, which the government of Japan orchestrated to include gang rape, forced abortions, sexual violence, human trafficking and numerous crimes against humanity" (Smith). Families of these victims simply want these crimes to be acknowledged by the government, so the healing can begin. They are calling for an "official demonstration of humanity from Japan's social and political leaders" (Smith). In light of what we discussed last night, I cannot see this happening at any time in the near future. I hope that I am wrong in this assessment.
War crimes in any nation are important to share with students, so they can be prevented from happening again. Visitors to the Museum of Tolerance have been able to interact with crimes against humanity, specifically Jews during the Holocaust and African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. Crimes of this sort are not limited to these groups and should be uncovered, studied and discussed.
-Susan Pavelka Gregg[Edit by="spavelkagregg on May 1, 10:16:48 AM"][/Edit]
AnonymousIn 1872, Horace Wilson, an American teacher at Ichiban Chugaku (now Tokyo University) introduced baseball to his students. This introduction came during the Meiji Restoration which came after the Tokugawa period. This era aimed to make Japan a democratic state and to close the gap with Western powers. One of the ways to close the gap was to bring baseball into Japan. When Hiroshi Hiraoka returned from American in 1878, he formed the Shimbaschi Athletic Club (SAC), the first formal baseball club in Japan. On April 29th, 2007, Dan Connolly wrote an article entitled, "Land of the Rising Sun sees interest falling as Japanese stars depart." According to the article, which correlates with a bit of the subject matter we covered in yesterday's seminar, "If the top (Japanese) baseball players were developed in the USA and the American baseball system, they would not be the same players they are now," said Hideki Okuda, a veteran baseball writer for the Sports Nippon Newspaper in Tokyo. Back in 1995, when Hideo Nomo, proved to the USA that he could succeed and excel for the Los Angeles Dodger in MLB. "Ichiro Suzuki eventually followed, and showed that a Japanese slap hitter can dominate here (in the States). Then came Hideki Matsui, who demonstrated that the Japanese can hit for power and drive in runs, too...A dozen years after the advent of Nomomania, the debate has ended. Good Japanese players - good Asian players, for that matter - will be good, on any stage. Even in the big, bad majors" (Connolly). More and more the major leagues are having to eat a big slice of 'humble pie' with regard to their past perceptions about Japanese baseball players and their abilities as compared to our Major League Baseball Players. "I think Americans in general are being humbled for incorrect perceptions in a lot of ways," Ted Heid, the Seattle Mariners director wrote in an email from Japan, "there has always been a few Japanese players that could have excelled over the years but were never given the chance." The increase in participation of top Japanese players has been great for the globalization of the sport but the talent defection is causing Japanese baseball to suffer. Japanese baseball, much like baseball in America, is tied to the country's spirit and with the level of talent playing overseas, there is some concern in Japan. The concern has been projected to affect upcoming high school baseball players in Japan who may opt to go to the U.S. Times definitely are changing. The world of sports is a great way to connect with high school students in comparing and contrasting cultures - a great teaching tool.
-Susan Pavelka Gregg
AnonymousClay's lecture Monday brought up a point that I was concerned with after reading "The Rape of Nanking" and it's points about comfort women. I found an article that gives some history behind this controvery.
http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=637&language_id=1
It asserts that even though Prime Minister Abe has officially admitted that these brothels existed, he, along with the Japanese government refuse to publicly apologize for this practice during World War 2.