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Huge Japan protest over textbook Huge Japan protest over textbook
(about 7 hours later)
More than 100,000 people in Japan have taken part in a rally against changes to school textbook accounts of a controversial wartime episode. More than 100,000 people in Japan have rallied against changes to school books detailing Japanese military involvement in mass suicides during World War II.
The Okinawa protest was over education ministry moves to change passages in new history books about mass suicides on the island during World War II. The protest, in Okinawa, was against moves to modify and tone down passages that say the army ordered Okinawans to kill themselves rather than surrender.
The books suggested Japanese soldiers forced civilians to kill themselves, a claim supported by many Okinawans. Okinawa's governor told crowds they could not ignore army involvement.
Demonstrators accused the government of trying to rewrite history. Some conservatives in Japan have in recent years questioned accounts of the country's brutal wartime past.
The Okinawa assembly has urged ministers to think again about its order to publishers to make revisions and submit them for approval.
Grenades
Saturday's rally was the biggest staged on the southern island since it was returned to Japan by the United States in 1972, according to the Kyodo News agency.Saturday's rally was the biggest staged on the southern island since it was returned to Japan by the United States in 1972, according to the Kyodo News agency.
Grenades
When US soldiers invaded Okinawa at the end of World War II, more than 200,000 people died.When US soldiers invaded Okinawa at the end of World War II, more than 200,000 people died.
Hundreds of them were Japanese civilians who killed themselves.Hundreds of them were Japanese civilians who killed themselves.
The textbooks, intended for use in high schools next year, said that as the Americans prepared to invade, the Japanese army handed out grenades to Okinawa residents and ordered them to kill themselves. The textbooks, intended for use in high schools next year, currently say that as the Americans prepared to invade, the Japanese army handed out grenades to Okinawa residents and ordered them to kill themselves.
Many survivors insist the military told people to commit suicide, partly due to fears over what they might tell the invaders and because being taken prisoner was considered shameful.Many survivors insist the military told people to commit suicide, partly due to fears over what they might tell the invaders and because being taken prisoner was considered shameful.
The governor of Okinawa, Hirokazu Nakaima, told crowds the episode should not be forgotten.
"We cannot bury the fact that the Japanese military was involved in the mass suicide, taking into account of the general background and testimonies that hand grenades were delivered," he said.
Japan's Kyodo news agency said Saturday's rally was the biggest staged on the southern island since it was returned to Japan by the United States in 1972.