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July 31, 2013

[SSJ: 8207] Re: History textbooks (was Shimomura interview on English education)

From: Sven Saaler
Date: 2013/07/31

Ok, here are the numbers (from Makita, Tetsuo (2000):
Nihonjin no sensô to heiwa-kan. Sono jizoku to fûka, in NHK Hôsô Kenkyû to Chôsa 2000:9, pp. 2–19 (the following is on p. 10-11).

Q: What are factors that have influenced your thinking on the "last war"
("saki no senso" [defined in the poll as the war from 1931-1945])?
1. people close to me 36%
2. TV 32%
3. school classes 22%
4. school textbooks 21%
5. newspapers 20%
6. books 10%
7. anime, movies 9%
8. journals 3%
9. manga 3%
10. Internet 0
11. TV games 0

Above average in case of the younger generation were school classes, school textbooks (!), anime, manga and TV games (well, an average of 0 so that does not mean a lot I suppose). Below average for the young generation was mijika na hito and newspapers.
Hardly surprising, "people close to me" (mijika na
hito) was above average for those in their 50s, and below average for those between 16 and 29 years old.
Below average for those older than 60 was TV, school classes and textbooks, books, anime and manga.

The whole study is highly enlightening as far as historical consciousness in Japanese society is concerned. The polls show that there is not much support for conservative-revisionist views on history in the population. Polls of more recent date (Asahi 2005, Yomiuri 2006, Mainichi) have shown that these numbers have remained stable.

Sven Saaler
Sophia University

Approved by ssjmod at 10:54 AM