Anglican Communion News Service

• NSKK has tackled with the Revisionist Textbook



• NSKK has sent the petition to the Authority to retract the resolution of the Revisionist Textbook and sent following letter to all of its parish churches and related institutions.

A revisionist version of Japanese history was officially approved by the Ministry of Education as a History Textbook for Japanese middle school students. The main points which have aroused strong voices of objection from victimized Asian countries during World War II are: using the word "advanced into" to indicate Japanese invasion; distortion of facts of the Nanjing massacre; no description of the comfort women; and justification of the annexation and colonization of Korea. Those countries invaded by Japan feel that students educated by this kind of revised textbook will be raised without recognizing the true actions of, and understanding the shortfall of, our ancestors, and will have no sensibility to the feelings of those people trampled by Japanese militaristic aggression.

To protest against the governmental promulgation of such a revisionist textbook, 10 Congressmen of Korea visited Japan as a team, and one of the members, The Revd Kim Yoong Jing, presbyter of Christ Presbyterian Church in Korea, held a hunger strike protest in front of the Japanese Diet (Parliament) Building from April 11 to 16. He was joined in solidarity by many other Christian people, including members of the Youth Council of NCCJ, seminarians of Central Theological College (Anglican), and other young Anglicans. Also, Mr Michael H Matsumoto, St Stephen's, Nagoya and Diocese of Chubu Human Rights Issue Chair, joined in Tokyo and then took the protest to the main park in downtown Nagoya and continued on his own until April 19, when forced by health concerns to cease.

The NSKK 49th General Synod (1996) Resolution of "The Declaration of the Responsibility of NSKK to the War" clearly states that as a sign of our repentance, NSKK would:

1. Make NSKK as a whole share this confession of responsibility;



2. Express this apology of NSKK to churches in neighboring countries;



3. Commit to re-examine and deepen our recognition of the historical reality, as it relates to the interpretation of the Gospel in every level of NSKK.

As a member of the Church, we do hope that you will participate in the protest against approval of this revised textbook, and we ask you to freshly recognize "The Declaration" in each parish and community and to share it with all members.

Samuel I. Koshiishi
General Secretary, NSKK