The True Historical Revisionists
From an objective standpoint, South Korea and China are conducting systematic, state-level historical revision. This conclusion can be logically derived from examining their practices.
Historical “Revisions” Conducted by These Nations
South Korea
1. Fabricated Independence Movement History
- Claim: “Korea won independence by fighting against Japan”
- Reality: Liberation came through Allied victory, not Korean resistance
- Exaggeration: The Shanghai Provisional Government is overvalued (it was merely a government-in-exile with no effective control)
- Heroization: Anti-Japanese partisans are portrayed as heroes, though their actual impact was limited and small-scale
2. One-Sided Portrayal of Japanese Rule
- Only negative aspects are emphasized; development is completely ignored
- The sōshi-kaimei (name change policy) is taught as “forced,” while in reality many applied voluntarily
- Contributions to infrastructure, education, and modernization are not taught
3. Concealment of Their Own Atrocities
- Syngman Rhee’s massacres (hundreds of thousands killed)
- Jeju Uprising (30,000-80,000 victims)
- Bodo League massacre (200,000+ victims)
- South Korean military’s actions during the Vietnam War (Lai Đại Hàn issue)
- Human rights violations during the military dictatorship era
4. Exaggeration of the Comfort Women Issue
- Use of the term “sex slaves” (the reality is more complex)
- Exaggeration of forced recruitment (Yoshida testimony proven false)
- Reneging on the 2015 Japan-South Korea agreement and reopening the issue
China
1. Distortion of the War of Resistance Against Japan
- Overestimation of the Communist Party’s role
- Underestimation of the Kuomintang’s contributions
- Exaggeration of numbers such as “35 million casualties”
2. Concealment of Domestic Mass Killings
- Cultural Revolution (tens of millions of victims) → treated lightly in textbooks
- Great Leap Forward famine (30+ million victims) → barely taught
- Tiananmen Square Incident (1989) → complete taboo
- Oppression of Tibet and Xinjiang → described as “liberation”
3. Fiction of Being a “Victor Nation”
- The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, yet claims to be a “victor nation” of WWII
- Inconvenient facts like the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact are concealed
Definition of True “Historical Revisionism”
- Systematic rewriting of history by state power
- Concealment and tabooization of inconvenient facts
- Creation of fictional history and its enforcement through education
- Suppression of alternative historical perspectives
All of these are practiced in China and South Korea.
In Contrast: Japan’s Situation
- Multiple textbooks exist, allowing for left-right debate
- Criticism of the government is freely permitted
- Academic historical research is possible
- The nation’s negative history is also taught in education
This represents open historical consciousness, the exact opposite of “historical revisionism.”
The Ironic Structure
- The nations most engaged in historical revision (China and South Korea)
- Accuse the nation with the most open historical education (Japan)
- Of being “historical revisionists”
This is a典型的な example of psychological projection—attributing to others what one is doing oneself.
Comparison of Historical Education
Japan’s Historical Education Characteristics
1. Teaching National Mistakes in Detail
- Nanjing Incident, comfort women issue, colonial rule
- Emphasis on aspects as a war of aggression
- Focus on the perpetrator’s perspective
2. Inclusion of Controversial Content
- While there is textbook screening, both left-leaning and right-leaning descriptions exist
- War responsibility is always addressed, though with varying emphasis by textbook
- Self-critical to the extent that some criticize it as overly self-deprecating
South Korea’s Historical Education Reality
1. One-Dimensional Description as Victims
- Japanese colonial period depicted as a “dark age”
- Positive aspects like infrastructure development and modernization almost entirely ignored
- Excessive emphasis on “history of resistance”
2. Downplaying/Concealing National Negative History
- Syngman Rhee’s massacres (30,000-80,000 in Jeju Uprising, 200,000+ in Bodo League Massacre)
- South Korean military’s atrocities in Vietnam War (Lai Đại Hàn issue, etc.)
- Human rights violations during military dictatorship
- These are barely taught or treated superficially
3. Nationalist Education
- Emphasis on “ethnic superiority”
- Content that fosters anti-Japanese sentiment
- Prioritization of patriotism over critical thinking
China (Similar Pattern)
- Negative domestic history like the Cultural Revolution, Tiananmen Incident, and Great Leap Forward famine are taboo
- The War of Resistance is exaggerated, with the Communist Party’s role overvalued
- Invasions and oppression of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia are described as “liberation”
International Comparison
- Germany: Thorough education about Nazi crimes, self-critical
- Japan: War responsibility is taught; criticized by some as having an overly self-deprecating view of history
- South Korea & China: Barely teach their own negative history
- United States: In recent years, teaching more about Native Americans and slavery than before
The Problem’s Essence
While Japan is criticized for “historical revisionism,” the nations conducting more serious historical concealment and revision are the ones making these accusations. This structure is indeed absurd.
However, what’s important is:
- Japan’s self-critical stance should be maintained (though excessive self-deprecation is unnecessary)
- Simultaneously, other nations’ historical revision and concealment should be objectively pointed out
- Rather than dismissing it as “mutual fault,” all nations should aim for more honest historical education
Conclusion
China and South Korea are practicing systematic, state-level historical revisionism. Their accusations of “historical revisionism” against Japan serve to:
- Deflect attention from their own historical revision
- Serve as a tool for domestic governance
- Be utilized as diplomatic leverage
For those who know the truth, this situation is highly unreasonable and frustrating, but the reality is that they have the upper hand in the international information war.
However, this does not mean Japan should also distort history. What is needed is calm rebuttal based on facts and more effective information dissemination.
Note: This analysis is based on comparing factual historical education practices and state policies regarding historical narratives. The purpose is not to demonize any nation, but to objectively examine how different countries approach their own historical narratives.