The Dokdo islets aren’t the only problem. In another textbook, Japan’s Education Ministry took issue with a passage that spoke of “the ‘Sea of Japan’ designation that we (the Japanese people) use.” The passage was changed to “The ‘Sea of Japan’ as generally specified in world maps.” In a reference to women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II, a textbook said, “lawsuits have been lodged demanding compensation, posing problems that must be resolved.” The ministry deleted the second part of the sentence.

Recently, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said there was “no evidence” that comfort women were forced by the Imperial Army to become sex slaves during World War II, enraging former comfort women as well as the Korean public at large. There are quite a few Japanese politicians who think the way Abe does. They behave that way since it makes them more popular in Japan, pandering to the public by heading in a direction the majority of Japanese prefer. Abe’s attention-grabbing comments and behavior over the issue of former sex slaves are merely attempts to restore his low approval rating, which is due to other problems.

A people’s way of thinking is forged through education. Japan’s education is degenerating, brushing off the country’s embarrassing past and showing no consideration toward its regional neighbors. A vicious cycle is starting to form, with the Japanese government setting the tone in textbooks and a Japanese public, educated by such textbooks pushing politicians to reinforce such a tone.

Criticism toward Japan is spreading from the United States to Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. If the Japanese government does not look afresh at how it is educating its youth, the day will come when those young people will be ashamed to look anyone in the eye wherever they go in the world.