PRESS CONFERENCE

The Japanese Government's War on Education

Hisayo Saika, "Education and Nationalism" film director

14:00-15:00 Thursday, May 26, 2022
(The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation)


For decades, textbooks in Japan have been a source of deep controversy. Conservatives have long criticized the description of Japan's wartime misdeeds as 'masochistic' and campaigned to remove references to war crimes, even as progressives have fought to keep them in. These battles climaxed in a series of high-profile court cases led by Saburo Ienaga, a Japanese historian who demanded that the education ministry reverse changes to his textbook.  

Today's speaker argues that the balance in this ideological war has now tipped decisively to the right, but her argument is more alarming. She says the Japanese government is "destroying academic institutions and educational administration." This process was accelerated by the two governments of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which added a clause cultivating patriotism in primary education, and "accelerated efforts to play down the damage Japan inflicted during wars and its invasion of Asia."

Saika adds that attacks on academics have now become normalized in Japan. Politicians have spread misinformation and labeled critics as "anti-Japanese." She cites the September 2020 incident when Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga denied membership to six new members of the Science Council of Japan, allegedly as punishment for their political views.

Saika will show an extract from her new film, which she says poses the question: "Aren't we going back to the fanatical ways of the past?"
 

How to attend: 
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in, giving your name and contact details at the reception, and have your temperature taken before proceeding. 

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live 　
Livestreaming of the press events will be available and video of this event will be uploaded to our FCCJ YouTube channel. 

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/29Kom4R3R73FcXUf7  
Members watching the event online can submit questions for the speakers in advance using this submission form.

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. 

Professional Activities Committee