1990년대 전후 일본 중학교 역사교육의 목표와 교과서 서술의 변화- 『근린제국조항』이 말하는 ‘배려’의 실체를 찾아서

Abstract

Examined in this article is how and why certain things, such as the objective, contents, the qualification system of textbooks and management in Japan’s history education, as well as the characteristics of historical textbooks published by Tokyo books, changed over the years since 1977. The renovation of the textbooks progressed in the amidst of conflicts between qualification examiners of the Ministry of Literature and the textbook authors. Not only the results of academic researches accumulated up until specific time points, but also the political situation of the times, determined which side’s perspective would be more reflected in the textbooks. The recognition of the value of ‘consideration,’ which has always been a very important factor to be considered in the textbook examination process since around the 1990s, later turned out to be an optional one in textbook publications. The perspective viewing Japan as an offender was based upon academic researches, and so was the notion that Japan should be more considerate in its history education and textbook publication, but whenever a political climate was rigged in a certain way, then the historical truth would be put in a very vulnerable position. Until Japan officially admits its own responsibility for what happened during the war, the textbook examination system would have no forcible authority to maintain the aspect of ‘consideration’ inside the textbooks.