New texts unlikely to say military 'forced' Okinawa mass suicides

Friday 09th January, 06:38 AM JST

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YuriOtani at 12:20 PM JST - 9th January

Was not forced suicide, it was jump off of the cliff or die a more painful death at the hands of the Japanese troops. Some people were thrown off of the cliffs by the Japanese, Thus it was against their will and not suicide. As the years pass the culture of the Ryukyu islands is fading away. There will be a day when it is gone. Perhaps history books will be written in which the people of the Okinawa Islands are Japanese, always Japanese. The Ryukyu Kingdom will become a myth.
smithinjapan at 12:21 PM JST - 9th January

How about changing the texts to say that two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan with US military involvement in one simple line, with no detailed description?

I doubt that'll happen either. Ah, the bias!
Disillusioned at 12:26 PM JST - 9th January

Typical of the Japanese to tone down the truth. Many Okinowans were forced to kill themselves or were actually killed by their own county's troops. Face the facts Japan! It was murder! Plain and simple!
Naruki_Oni at 01:10 PM JST - 9th January

smithinjapan: he he he. astutely noted.
nigelboy at 01:13 PM JST - 9th January

‘‘driven into suicides amid the Japanese military’s involvement,’’

Fair.

But why not just mention the fact that Battle of Okinawa was a very bloody campaign which started off as U.S. bombing the living daylights out of Okinawa using warships and air strikes without regarding for civilians wiping out an entire village and then some. With the bombardment still going on and your family member already killed not to mention the fact that U.S. soldiers are now "on foot" coming after you, what kind of thoughts come to mind?

Despair perhaps?
beavis at 01:30 PM JST - 9th January

what kind of thoughts come to mind?

-but they said we were winning!?!?
GJDailleult at 01:45 PM JST - 9th January

not to mention the fact that U.S. soldiers are now "on foot" coming after you

Accidently hit the nail on the head there about Okinawan resentment about the war. Okinawa was the only part of Japan where U.S. soldiers were ever coming "on foot". Strangely, the willingness to sacrifice every man, woman, and child got a lot weaker when it looked like the fighting was going to be on Kyushu or Honshu instead of in Okinawa. And at least some Okinawans seen to think that the atomic bombs were not the only explanation for that difference.

Otherwise, what a vague and meaningless statement, ‘‘driven into suicides amid the Japanese military’s involvement’’. Bet the original Japanese is even more vague.
samsarks at 02:23 PM JST - 9th January

my boy is not gonna enter any japanese school.they just teach rubbish
Ranger_Miffy at 04:00 PM JST - 9th January

Samsarks, prepare to educated your boy at home then. Or send him to J-school but teach him how to detect and deal with rubbish...as an independent thinker and researcher. Start him young and he will be have his "nonsense detector" set to stun. Of course, home schooling might just be more fun, anyway. Just a thought.
himasan at 04:47 PM JST - 9th January

Every country has its dirty little secrects. If we admit to it, someone sues, and someone pays....
ca1ic0cat at 09:59 PM JST - 9th January

more hard work by Aso and company...
realist at 11:51 PM JST - 9th January

This is disgraceful and disgusting. Japan and the Japanese Government in this 10th year of the 21st century has still not faced up to its sordid and evil past - and is still trying to hide the truth from its citizens, in particular the young. The truth of Okinawa is that the Japanese Governmnet and military at the time forced Okinawans to commit mass suicide, period. This whould be emblazoned in bold letters in the schooll textbooks for all the world, and especially the young Japanese, to see. I hope there are lots of protests again in Okinawa about this latest attempt by the Education Ministry to suppress and subvert the truth.
YuriOtani at 06:24 AM JST - 10th January

Blame the Americans hmmm they did hand over the Ryukyu kingdom or helped Japan rationalize it after Japan invaded Okinawa in 1872. Handed it over again in 1972. There seems to be a pattern. If Japan never invaded Okinawa the bloody invasion of Okinawa by the Americans would of never happened. The Ryukyu Kingdom would of been neutral in the 2nd war. There would of been no American invasion, no American bases, etc. So Japan is still trying to cover up its bloody invasion of 1872 and the destruction of the Ryukyu government in 1879!
sf2k at 03:13 AM JST - 14th January

citzens of Okinawa should hold a referendum asking if they want to become a separate country again. They can write their own history, one they know quite well themselves, rather than being told what it was.
bushlover at 08:50 AM JST - 14th January

Is Japanese history being rewritten by JT posters? I think so. I can just imagine these troops going around forcing families to kill themselves or be killed with the precious ammo of the Japanese troops facing a fight with the Americans who they are expecting. Sounds like rubbish is a two way street.