“If Koreans connect the Japanese textbook issues to the dispute over the Dokdo islets, it may destroy their pure goodwill and friendly gesture with regards to the Japanese natural disasters.
“Due to the national crisis in Japan, the results of the review of middle school textbooks is of no importance,” said Katsuhiro Kuroda, the Seoul bureau chief of the Sankei Shimbun Wednesday. “I am especially worried that the Koreans are reacting too sensitively about this. I believe it best to let the issue rest.”
During a radio interview with the PBC (Pyeonghwa Broadcasting Corporation) Kuroda said, “Japan’s fiscal year starts in April and the review was already scheduled to happen. It doesn’t make sense to reschedule just because of Koreans.”
When the interviewer pointed out that many Japanese people were against the textbook issues for it may bring even more tension between the two countries, the bureau chief replied, “I believe that’s an excessive interpretation.”
“We are not including the territory disputes because we want something out of it. Actually, it’s because we want to talk about the issues we have with Russia and China. If we add those issues in, we have to talk about Dokdo, too. However, we have erased texts that talk about Japan’s imperialism and militarism in order to reflect on our past mistakes.
“It’s only natural for countries to use textbooks to educate students on national matters. We have to acknowledge this fact,” Kuroda claimed.
“Japan can’t really do anything about the island because Korea has been governing the area for more than half a century. Even if the textbooks do get published, it’s nothing to get overly excited about.”
Source: The Korea Times / http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/03/113_84133.html
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