Education official Shimomura is way off base.

``Consideration for Japan's Asian neighbors'' is one of the provisions for the screening of public school textbooks by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Specifically, the provision requires that Japan respect the spirit of ``international understanding and cooperation'' in its appraisal of history with its Asian neighbors.

But a senior education ministry official has made a comment that effectively negates this provision.

Hakubun Shimomura, a parliamentary secretary in the education ministry and a Lower House member, recently told a lecture meeting in Tokyo: ``Ever since this provision was created, schools have become more Marxist-Leninist in leaning to teach a masochistic view of Japanese history. This is something that must not be overlooked, and that is why we have formed a parliamentary league (to consider the future of Japan and history education).'' Shimomura has been secretary-general of this suprapartisan league since its inception.

In the same speech, Shimomura voiced his support for Nariaki Nakayama, the education minister who said in November that ``it is good that such terms as sex slaves of the Japanese Imperial Army and forced Asian labor were less frequently mentioned in school history books.''

Nakayama later said he should have refrained from speaking about his personal thoughts. Shimomura, however, told his listeners that he had conveyed his support for Nakayama to South Korean parliament members.

The post of parliamentary secretary was created in 2001 to expedite decision-making under the initiative of politicians, instead of bureaucrats. Officially called daijin seimukan in Japanese, it is the third highest rank in the ministerial hierarchy for politicians after the minister and senior vice minister.

Given Shimomura's position, his comments could influence the ministry's administrative policy. It's also a matter of the nation's fundamental policy. We cannot overlook what he has done.

In fact, we also hold Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi responsible for having given the post to someone like Shimomura-the secretary-general of a parliamentary league that openly opposes the ``Asian neighbors'' provision in the school textbook screening guideline.

The provision was created in 1982. The harsh censure was made from China and South Korea for Japan's attempt to gloss over its history of invasion of China and colonization of the Korean Peninsula. In response, the Japanese government issued statements to the effect that its sense of remorse for the past remained completely unchanged, and that it would readily heed criticisms against the contents of history textbooks and correct mistakes. Later, at the recommendation of an advisory panel to the education ministry, the provision was added to the textbook screening guideline.

That was not the first time the government voiced remorse for the past. It was mentioned in the Japan-South Korea joint communique of 40 years ago, as well as in a similar joint communique with China 33 years ago. Furthermore, it was in acknowledgement of this remorse that, as recently as in 1998, then-Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and then-President Kim Dae Jung jointly declared their resolve to build a ``future-oriented'' relationship.

The ``Asian neighbors'' provision embodies this basic national principle. It has nothing to do with Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Objections to this provision by any senior education ministry official would raise questions about Japan's basic stance. This is hardly in the nation's interest.

Nakayama noted on Shimomura's comment, ``Even if we didn't have the provision, that shouldn't change the fact that we need to aim for international understanding and cooperation.'' He is right. Whether we have this provision or not, we must never make light of our history with our neighbors.

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 9(IHT/Asahi: March 10,2005)