In 1997, some Japanese right-wing scholars, who thought the existing junior history textbook in Japan had the characteristic of "national masochism", began to compile a new history textbook. Soon a new edition which intentionally denys, blurs or even whitewashes the nature of the aggressive war launched by the Japanese invaders was finally successfully finished and submitted for examination. On 3rd of April, the junior high school history textbook edited by the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform was approved by the Education Ministry screening panel.

This book has a number of references which condone Japan's history of invasion and colonial rule, and glorify the rule of the Emperor. The approval of such a textbook will certainly lead to the concealment, distortion and glorification of the history of invasions and atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Military.