"History shouldn't be written by groups with an axe to grind,
like the ultra-nationalistic, Japan Society for Textbook Reform.
That is akin to allowing the Neo-Nazis to teach our children history."

  Do you want your children to study history according to the Klu Klux Klan? Would you like the Neo-Nazis to write your children's history text? Would you be upset if the government approved a text written by the KKK or the Neo-Nazis, or would you simply take it in stride? Or do you have the opinion that history doesn't matter anyway, it's all in the past?  What do you believe?

A Tochigi based citizens's group agrees with China and South Korea that Japanese nationalists shouldn't be writing textbooks for their children, nor should the Tochigi Board of Education be approving this controversial text for school use. This forementioned citizens' group stated in a letter to the Tochigi
Board of Education: "Approval of a textbook compiled by nationalist historians of the Japanese Society  for History Text Reform should never be granted by local governments amid growing criticism from China
and South Korea," according to press reports.  I am thankful that there is some sanity left, and that some Japanese care enough about their Asian neighbours to protest using inaccurate history texts to teach Japanese history.

"History is the study of mankind, recording both glorious and inglorious events.  Therefore hsitory must not
be distorted, so that younger and future generations can learn lessons about what must and must not be done
to prevent great human tragedies from recurring."--from the Jakarta Post (July 16th)

My children are Japanese and Canadian.  I don't want the truth whitewashed or changed. I want them to
understand what really happened.  There are limits of course.  I think there is a time when what really
happened at Nanking can be accurately taught.  Perhaps 13 years old  is too young, but 18 is not.  At some
point they need to know the truth.  I say the same about Canadian history, they need to know the good and the bad,
because all countries have done a little of both.  We also need to know what humans are capable of,
so we can prevent atrocities in the future.

It is all well and good to talk about how horrible the atomic bombings were. However if that is all you talk about,
you aren't being truthful.  I feel Japan still needs to come to terms with what it did to its' Asian neighbours.  Japan
needs to come clean, so that the mending can start.  Neither hiding the truth nor posing as an atomic bomb
victim, is a good way to have good relations.  Japan needs a good relationship with South Korea and China.  Think
about it.  Both of these nearby neighbours are regional military powers, and both are strong Asian economies.
It is strange to risk having bad relations with either over a textbook. Japan needs their trade, and needs to
be on good terms so she doesn't have to waste a lot of money on an arms race if relations really go sour.
Japan needs China and South Korea, and taking their feelings lightly is a big mistake--as is Koizumi going
to Yasukuni Shrine, this being a mistake of the same quality--insensitive, especially from the top elected
official in Japan.

But, "...there are many versions of history," you protest as Makiko Suzuki did (name changed). Yes there are, and some
are more accurate than others.  I don't want my children learning history according to the AUM, the KKK,
the Neo-Nazis nor the Japanese Nationalists.  I want them to learn history from a good balanced source.
Most historians do a creditable job of writing balanced history from many sources, be they Chinese, Japanese, Korean
and others. That's the way it should be. History shouldn't be written by groups with an axe to grind,  like the ultra-nationalisitc,
Japanese Society for History Text Reform.  That is akin to allowing the Neo-Nazis to teach our children history.

It is a shame that Japan keeps shooting herself in the foot. It reminds me of Canada in a way, with the endless
question about Quebec separating or not, like that Clash song, "Will she stay or will she go now?" It takes up
so much of Canada's time, that she cannot get on with what really needs to be done to make herself a great country.
At the same time, Japan cannot get out of the rut of endlessly offending her Asian neighbours about Second World War history.
Don't you think it's time to come clean, say a genuine sorry from the people of Japan, and start the ball rolling
for a prosperous 21st century. Or do you think that history texts don't matter?

Kevin  Burns

``Many Japanese citizens, unlike our government, are still conscientious enough to find the book undesirable,'' said Yoshifumi Tawara, who heads the civic group Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21. ``I hope the message reaches our Asian neighbors and the rest of the world.''

       Some Great Quotes from the Press

"Japan would do well to take a lesson from Germany, which has built museums in rememberance of the Nazis'
rule.  In one museum in Bonn, for example, large photographs of heartrending scenes and the brutality of the Nazi
troops, as well as relics from the concentration camps, are exhibited, aiming to give insight to the younger generation
of Germans about the heinous crimes committed by the Nazis.
  This shows that Germany and the Germans are a great nation and people, unashamed as they are to admit the past
mistakes made by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi followers."--from the Jakarta Post (July 16th)

  "Japan and the Japanese are also a great nation and people with a long record of struggle and achievement, which now
places Japan as one of the giants of Asia.  What the world abhorred were the Japanese fascists and militarists who in the
past committed crimes against humanity.  Biased accounts of history can impair Japan's image in the international arena
and its credibility as a peaceloving nation and people."--from the Jakarta Post (July 16th)

Japan Living Forum

Grognards Japan

 
Asakusa, Tokyo

If I Were the Prime Minister of Japan

  If elected prime minister I promise to do the following: All cockroaches will be deported to
cold countries like Canada and Sweden where they cannot move around so fast or scare people so much.
It will take a while for them to be deported so, in the meantime a "No Fly Zone" will be declared over Japan.
Cockroaches will not be allowed to fly and it will be enforced by the Japanese Self-Defence Forces and the American
Air Force. I hate it when the BIG cockroaches fly!  Some people will protest, why are you discriminating against cockroaches?
But hey, they don't pay taxes and they eat our food. Plus they scare me! Isn't that reason enough?

  All Japanese will be required to study at my own Kevin's English Schools. But the bathhouse owners
in Otaru will be banned unless they will let me have a bath. I promise not to be too "smelly."
If they will let me have a bath, they can study at our schools, but I will give them a lot of homework.

   Natto will be banned! I don't care if it is healthy. It is disgusting! It is smelly and tastes like dog vom.
Although I uh, haven't uh tried dog vomit, but I imagine that's what it would taste like. Anyone found eating Natto
will get extra homework!

  Yuki Uchida will be my Minister of Finance.  Hikaru Nishida will be the Minister of Foreign
Affairs as she can speak English so well. Hikaru Utada will sing the Kimigayo at all baseball games.
Akebono and Konishiki will be in charge of keeping the government from corruption. If anyone
commits a crime, they will be thrown out by the big guys! Beat Takeshi will be my right hand man,
and anytime I get frustrated by anything, I will bat him over the head with a big foam mallet to the laughter and
applause of millions on national television. God I love power already! I can almost taste it!

  Former Prime Minister Mori and Governor Ishihara will do odd jobs around my house. They will be
required to write on the white board in our classroom 100 times everyday, "I love all foreigners. I love all
foreigners. Foreigners are great, I love all foreigners." Until they are fit to have foreign friends and influence people.
Elect me! Kevin for PM! Ishihara will be required to write several new books entitled: "The Japan that can say
'Real Lemon'",  "I Love Bathing with Russians & Koreans", and "How to Lie About What You Really Mean for Dummies."
I think all will become huge best sellers.  A specialist will be brought in from California to permanently remove
Mori's foot from his mouth. Total amputation of both feet is the recommended course of action according to
Dr. Wilson of Anaheim General.

  All Japanese textbooks will have to have the truthful version of history in it. Things like, "We were politely
invited by the Chinese to have Oolong Tea in Nanking," will be taken out and changed.  As well versions of what happened at
the River Kwai will be changed from: "We gave jobs to unemployed Britons and built a fantastic overland railway in Thailand,"
to give a clearer picture of what Japan did in Asia.

  All Japanese politicians will be given intensive English lessons so that they do not claim to be the American President's
wife and fopaws like that.

  All signs in English in Japan will be taken at face value and all foreigners will be permitted to follow the rules to the letter and
not be punished. Hotel signs such as "Please take advantage of the Chambre Maid." is a case in point.
I will not reveal the name of the hotel, that is my little secret, I should be allowed one as prime minister. Please don't show
this article to the future first lady! Signs at airports in Japan saying things like "Aliens report here," will be changed to:
"Esteemed Guests from other Countries, this way please." We don't want to confuse Sigourney Weaver when she comes
for my inauguration.

  Cute politicians like little Kiichi Miyazawa will be made into cartoon characters. His cartoon, "Kich-Chan" will rival Pikachu for
popularity. The Kiichi Miyazawa game for Play Station 2 will be released for the Christmas season. The game will involve a
character called Mori who drops things all over and little Kiichichan must pick them up over multiple levels. A golf game
will be included on level 4.

  Smoking will be banned in all restaurants but farting will be permitted. Special farting sections will be set up however.
"Do you prefer farting or not farting?"-will be the refrain heard at Denny's from now on.

  Anyone found sleeping in their cars while letting them idle will be woken by special police with blaring horns.

  Politicians will not be permitted to go around the neighbourhoods screaming their names over loud speakers, they will have to say
something of substance at meetings held in public halls though, which may be very difficult for most of them.

  The official motto of my cabinet will be "Let's enjoy beautiful communication life." After two weeks of debate, deliberation
and in typical Japanese style, a final consensus; we came to the hard-fought  conclusion that this was much better than,
"Let's enjoy tampon life;" which was already being used by a Japanese uh, er...women's personal needs company.

Vote for me! I will not let you down!

Kevin Burns in Dreamland

Japanese Lanterns

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