[INFORMATION]
SAIKA Hisayo | 2022 | Documentary | 107min
[SYNOPSIS]
In 2017, the bread industry in Japan was hit with a heavy blow. The bakery in an elementary school Ethics textbook was replaced by a Japanese confectionary because that scene was deemed “inappropriate in terms of showing love for the country.” Ethics originally had been taken out of textbooks after deeply reflecting on how one set of values was pushed onto children, namely the loyalty and nationalism that Japanese imperialism was criticized for. However, it was brought back during the second Abe administration for the first time in 73 years.
Japan’s textbook examination system is meant to allow non-government entities to freely create textbooks in alignment with the country’s criteria, but there is actually a lack of freedom. Some invisible pressure (in an extremely Japanese way) is applied through the government’s authority, forcing textbook production to follow their wishes.
It is even more nerve-racking in history education. In 1997, military comfort women were written about in all middle school history textbooks, but right-wing politicians heavily rallied against this. One long-established publisher was attacked, and it eventually went bankrupt for writing about the lawsuit of a former comfort woman named Hak-sun Kim and explaining the damages inflicted by the Japanese army in detail. A former editor looks back on this and says that it has caused the textbook publishing companies to wither.
In 2016, when textbooks would describe the comfort women issue as a historical fact, middle schools that used these textbooks would receive a flood of postcards that say in protest, “Don’t use anti-Japanese textbooks.” One of the protestors who sent a large number of postcards was the mayor of former Prime Minister Abe’s hometown. When asked on camera why he sent the postcards, the mayor stated, “I haven’t read the textbooks.” Takashi Ito, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, supports Abe and he has written a textbook that praises the Imperial Rescript on Education, which holds in high esteem the emperor at the end of the Japanese imperialism. He asserted, “We’ll make proper Japanese people,” and “We don’t need to learn from history.”
As political pressure grows, there are even plans to rewrite the terminology of history based on the Japanese government’s point of view. Political interference in textbooks is growing. Furthermore, a university professor who is a leading figure in research on sexual violence has been involved with the comfort women issue. She was attacked at the National Diet by a member of the House of Representatives, Mio Sugita of the Liberal Democratic Party, who said, “She’s working hand in hand with Korean people and spreading anti-Japanese propaganda.” This has caused the professor to be bashed online, on right-wing television, and more. This film documents how the government’s destruction of Japanese textbooks, academics, and education has progressed, based on real testimonies by politicians, bureaucrats, textbook writers, textbook company employees, teachers, and other involved parties.
[DIRECTOR'S NOTE]
On February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. On the same day when the world saw innocent citizens dying in this war of conquest, the public release of the film “Education and Nationalism” was released on the news. This overlap was unbelievably shocking to me. And I felt that there was some deep meaning behind this coincidence.
History textbooks that cover victims and aggressors in World War II are shown numerous times in this film. There is the Nanking Massacre, the Japanese troops’ comfort women issue, and the mass suicide at the Battle of Okinawa. Passages regarding these wartime offenses were attacked by the right wing, bankrupting one textbook company with a former editor who states, “If we don't write about the damage that Japan inflicted and only write about the damage received, then students wouldn't be learning about the war properly.” However, textbooks have been changing due to the power of politics since the 2000s. For whom are textbooks written? That is one major theme in this film.
In Japan, where freedom of expression is guaranteed, a lack of freedom is encroaching on textbooks, the main educational material used by children. It was extremely difficult to film interviews with people involved with textbook production. Many of our interview requests were denied, but that shows the gravity of the problem covered in this film. The textbook editors have said that if they take part in an interview, “My political neutrality will be called into question,” and “I don’t want the government to take notice of me.” As pressure from the government grows stronger, people are being forced into silence. Perhaps we are moving away from a democratic society.
In February 2012, Shinzo Abe, who had retired from public office, and Ichiro Matsui, the Governor of Osaka who would soon become the head of the Japan Innovation Party, were on stage for a non-government symposium on educational revitalization. They shook hands, saying they would change education with the power of politics. Afterwards, initiatives taken by politicians in Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture were passed one after another, making public education more uniform and putting a damper on teachers’ efforts to teach students. One educational goal that was given is “to cultivate talent that can come out on top in a global society.”
The Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, who wrote the textbook recommended by former Prime Minister Abe, shared that his duty is “to make proper Japanese people.” The textbook states that Emperor Meiji’s Imperial Rescript on Education before the war is the foundation of Japanese morals. When the professor was asked, “What does ‘proper’ mean?” his answer was unexpected. The divisive words he laid down could be related to global affairs.
Just as government authorities scream out “Nationalism,” that nationalism becomes intertwined with exclusionism that rejects other countries. Misinformation regarding neighboring countries grows rampant, and the hate business market expands, overflowing with baseless slanders like “anti-Japanese teachers” and “anti-Japanese scholars”. Calling something “anti-Japanese” and rejecting has grown. Self-regulation has grown in a society where political aggression and intimidation are becoming commonplace, and textbooks are being rewritten due to heavy pressure that continues to grow.
The Russian government continues to claim that the war is “a special military operation,” and the Japanese government rewords “forced recruitment” to “drafting” and “mobilization.” What is the difference? The universal value of education has nothing to do with ideology. What kind of society will be passed down to our future children? Where is this country headed? This film was produced with hopes of peace for all Asian countries and a sense of impending danger.
[FILMOGRAPHY]
SHORTS
Eizou’15 Why We Pick Up the Pen: Okinawa’s Newspaper Reporters (September 2015)
- The 59th Japan Congress of Journalists Award
Eizou’17 Okinawa and the Wandering Echo: A Real Look at the Base Opposition Movement (January 2017)
- The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association TV Broadcasting Award of Excellence in 2017
- The 37th Age of Regionalism Video Festival Award of Excellence
- The 72nd Agency for Cultural Affairs National Arts Festival Award of Excellence, etc.
Eizou’17 Education and Nationalism: What is Happening with Textbooks Today (July 2017)
- The 55th Galaxy Award TV Category Grand Prize
- The 38th Age of Regionalism Video Festival Award of Excellence
Eizou’18 Bashing: The Context Behind Its Origins (December 2018)
- The 39th Age of Regionalism Video Festival Award of Excellence, etc.
[DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION ONLY]
Cinema DAL
(03073) 2F, Sungkyunkwan-ro 5-gil 11-3, Jongno-gu, Seoul, KOREA
Tel. +82-2-337-2135
Fax. +82-2-325-2137
Email. cinemadal@cinemadal.com
교육과 애국 (Education and Nationalism)
[INFORMATION]
사이카 히사요 | 2022 | 다큐멘터리 | 107분
[SYNOPSIS]
일본군'위안부' 여성들의 존재를 역사적 사실로 언급한 교과서를 사용하려는 중학교에 '반일 교과서를 쓰지 말라'는 항의 우편이 쇄도한다. 일본군'위안부' 피해자 김학순 할머니를 소개하고 일본군의 가해 사실을 교과서에 상세히 기술한 출판사는 도산한다.
일본의 교과서 검정제도에 의하면 출판사는 나라가 정한 기준에 따라 자유롭게 교과서를 제작하도록 되어있으나, 실제로는 일본 정부의 권력자 측으로부터 눈에 보이지 않는 압력을 받아 교과서를 제작할 수밖에 없는 현실이다.
<교육과 애국>은 일본의 역사 교과서를 둘러싼 일련의 사건을 통해 일본의 교과서, 학문, 교육이 정치에 의해 파괴되어 가는 과정을 다루며, 정치인, 정부 관료, 교과서 집필자, 교과서 회사 관계자, 교사 등 당사자들의 증언에 기초해 이 과정을 사실적으로 기록한다.
[DIRECTOR'S NOTE]
2022년 2월 24일, 우크라이나에 러시아 정부군이 침공하였다. 무고한 시민들이 희생된 침략전쟁을 목격한 그날, 영화 <교육과 애국>의 공개 결정이 인터넷 뉴스에 퍼졌다. 이 두 가지 일이 동시에 일어난 것은 상상할 수 없을 만큼 큰 충격이었다. 그리고 이 우연에는 깊은 의미가 있는 것이라 느꼈다.
이 영화에는, 제2차 세계대전의 피해와 가해를 기술하는 역사교과서가 여러번 등장한다. 난징대학살 사건이나 일본군 위안부 문제, 그리고 오키나와의 집단 자결 사건 등. 이러한 전쟁범죄에 대한 내용을 둘러싼 우파 세력의 공격으로 도산한 교과서 회사의 전 편집자는 ‘교과서에 전쟁 중 범했던 가해의 문제를 쓰지 않고, 피해의 역사만을 적는 것으로는 전쟁에 대한 학습이라 할 수 없다’고 호소한다. 하지만, 2000년대 이후, 교과서의 내용이 정치의 힘에 의해 변해하고 있다. 교과서는 누구를 위하여 있는 것인가. 그것이 이 영화의 큰 테마이다.
표현의 자유가 보장되는 일본에 있어서, 아이들에게 가장 중요한 교재가 되는 교과서가 자유롭지 못한 상황에 처해있다. 교과서 제작 관계자의 취재는 곤란하기 그지없었다. 취재 거부가 많았던 것은, 이 영화가 다루는 문제의 심각함을 나타내고 있다. 교과서 편집자들은 이렇게 말했다. 취재에 응하면 ‘정치적 중립성을 의심받는다’, ‘정부의 눈에 띄고 싶지 않다’. 정치의 압력이 더해질 수록, 침묵을 강제당하는 사람들. 사회의 민주주의를 후퇴시키는 일이 아니겠는가.
2012년 2월, 당시 하야한 아베 신조 씨와 후일 일본유신회의 대표가 되는 마쓰이 이치로 오사카부 지사가 ‘교육 재생’을 내걸은 민간 심포지엄에 등단해 ‘정치의 힘으로 교육을 바꿔나간다’며 악수를 나눴다. 그 후, 오사카부와 오사카시에서 정치권의 주도로 ‘교육 조례’가 차례로 가결되어, 공교육의 합리화가 촉진되며 아이들과 마주하고자 하는 교사들의 표정은 어두워졌다. 교육 목표에는 ‘글로벌 사회를 이겨내는 인재 육성’이라는 말이 내걸렸다.
아베 전 총리가 권장하는 역사교과서를 집필하는 도쿄대학 명예교수는 ‘제대로 된 일본인을 만드는 일’이 사명이라 말한다. 일본에서 도덕의 기반은 제2차 세계대전 이전 메이지 천황이 공표한 ‘교육 칙어’라고 해당 교과서는 서술하고 있다. ‘제대로 된’이 무슨 뜻이냐 묻는 필자의 질문에, 생각지도 못한 대답이 돌아왔다. 거기에 가로놓인 분단의 말은 세계 정세와도 통하는 면이 있다.
국가 권력이 목소리 높여 ‘애국’을 부르짖자, 국수주의가 타국을 부정하는 배외주의로 연결되었다. 이웃나라에 대한 선동이 만연해지고, 헤이트 비지니스라 불리는 시장이 확대되어 ‘반일 교사’, ‘반일 학자’ 같은 당치도 않은 비방과 중상이 넘쳐나고 있다. ‘반일’이라 이름붙이는 일방적인 배척이 힘을 더해가고 있다. 정치적인 공격이나 공갈이 일상이 되어 사회는 자기 검열을 부추기고, 점점 숨막히는 압력을 더해가고 있는 가운데, 교과서의 수정이 그 상징이 되는 것이다.
러시아 정부는, 전쟁을 ‘특별 군사 작전’이라 계속 주장하고, 일본 정부는 ‘강제 연행’을 ‘징용’, ‘동원’이라 말을 바꾸고 있다. 어디가 어떻게 다른 것일까? 교육의 보편적 가치는 이데올로기와는 아무런 관계가 없다. 미래의 아이들에게 어떤 사회를 물려주게 될까? 이 나라는 어디로 향하고 있는 것일까? 아시아 국가들의 평화를 바라며, 다급한 마음으로 이 영화를 제작하였다.
[FILMOGRAPHY]
단편
영상'15 무엇을 위해 펜을 드는가 - 오키나와의 신문기자들, 2015년 9월
- 제59회 일본 저널리스트 회의(JCJ) 상 수상
영상'17 오키나와 방황하는 나무정령 - 기지 반대 운동의 민낯, 2017년 1월
- 2017년 일본 민간방송연맹 상 TV보도부문 우수상
- 제37회 일본 '지방의 시대' 영상제 우수상
- 제72회 일본 문화청 미디어 예술제 우수상 등 수상
영상'17 교육과 애국 - 교과서에 지금 무엇이 일어나고 있는가, 2017년 7월
- 제55회 일본 방송비평간담회 갤럭시 상 TV부문 대상
- 제38회 일본 '지방의 시대' 영상제 우수상 수상
영상'18 배싱 - 그 발신원의 배후에는 무엇이, 2018년 12월
- 제39회 일본 '지방의 시대' 영상제 우수상 등 수상
[DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION ONLY]
(주)시네마 달
서울특별시 종로구 성균관로5길 11-3(명륜3가), 2층
Tel. 02-337-2135
Fax. 02-325-2137
Email. cinemadal@cinemadal.com
[STILL CUT]
[INFORMATION]
SAIKA Hisayo | 2022 | Documentary | 107min
[SYNOPSIS]
In 2017, the bread industry in Japan was hit with a heavy blow. The bakery in an elementary school Ethics textbook was replaced by a Japanese confectionary because that scene was deemed “inappropriate in terms of showing love for the country.” Ethics originally had been taken out of textbooks after deeply reflecting on how one set of values was pushed onto children, namely the loyalty and nationalism that Japanese imperialism was criticized for. However, it was brought back during the second Abe administration for the first time in 73 years.
Japan’s textbook examination system is meant to allow non-government entities to freely create textbooks in alignment with the country’s criteria, but there is actually a lack of freedom. Some invisible pressure (in an extremely Japanese way) is applied through the government’s authority, forcing textbook production to follow their wishes.
It is even more nerve-racking in history education. In 1997, military comfort women were written about in all middle school history textbooks, but right-wing politicians heavily rallied against this. One long-established publisher was attacked, and it eventually went bankrupt for writing about the lawsuit of a former comfort woman named Hak-sun Kim and explaining the damages inflicted by the Japanese army in detail. A former editor looks back on this and says that it has caused the textbook publishing companies to wither.
In 2016, when textbooks would describe the comfort women issue as a historical fact, middle schools that used these textbooks would receive a flood of postcards that say in protest, “Don’t use anti-Japanese textbooks.” One of the protestors who sent a large number of postcards was the mayor of former Prime Minister Abe’s hometown. When asked on camera why he sent the postcards, the mayor stated, “I haven’t read the textbooks.” Takashi Ito, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, supports Abe and he has written a textbook that praises the Imperial Rescript on Education, which holds in high esteem the emperor at the end of the Japanese imperialism. He asserted, “We’ll make proper Japanese people,” and “We don’t need to learn from history.”
As political pressure grows, there are even plans to rewrite the terminology of history based on the Japanese government’s point of view. Political interference in textbooks is growing. Furthermore, a university professor who is a leading figure in research on sexual violence has been involved with the comfort women issue. She was attacked at the National Diet by a member of the House of Representatives, Mio Sugita of the Liberal Democratic Party, who said, “She’s working hand in hand with Korean people and spreading anti-Japanese propaganda.” This has caused the professor to be bashed online, on right-wing television, and more. This film documents how the government’s destruction of Japanese textbooks, academics, and education has progressed, based on real testimonies by politicians, bureaucrats, textbook writers, textbook company employees, teachers, and other involved parties.
[DIRECTOR'S NOTE]
On February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. On the same day when the world saw innocent citizens dying in this war of conquest, the public release of the film “Education and Nationalism” was released on the news. This overlap was unbelievably shocking to me. And I felt that there was some deep meaning behind this coincidence.
History textbooks that cover victims and aggressors in World War II are shown numerous times in this film. There is the Nanking Massacre, the Japanese troops’ comfort women issue, and the mass suicide at the Battle of Okinawa. Passages regarding these wartime offenses were attacked by the right wing, bankrupting one textbook company with a former editor who states, “If we don't write about the damage that Japan inflicted and only write about the damage received, then students wouldn't be learning about the war properly.” However, textbooks have been changing due to the power of politics since the 2000s. For whom are textbooks written? That is one major theme in this film.
In Japan, where freedom of expression is guaranteed, a lack of freedom is encroaching on textbooks, the main educational material used by children. It was extremely difficult to film interviews with people involved with textbook production. Many of our interview requests were denied, but that shows the gravity of the problem covered in this film. The textbook editors have said that if they take part in an interview, “My political neutrality will be called into question,” and “I don’t want the government to take notice of me.” As pressure from the government grows stronger, people are being forced into silence. Perhaps we are moving away from a democratic society.
In February 2012, Shinzo Abe, who had retired from public office, and Ichiro Matsui, the Governor of Osaka who would soon become the head of the Japan Innovation Party, were on stage for a non-government symposium on educational revitalization. They shook hands, saying they would change education with the power of politics. Afterwards, initiatives taken by politicians in Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture were passed one after another, making public education more uniform and putting a damper on teachers’ efforts to teach students. One educational goal that was given is “to cultivate talent that can come out on top in a global society.”
The Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, who wrote the textbook recommended by former Prime Minister Abe, shared that his duty is “to make proper Japanese people.” The textbook states that Emperor Meiji’s Imperial Rescript on Education before the war is the foundation of Japanese morals. When the professor was asked, “What does ‘proper’ mean?” his answer was unexpected. The divisive words he laid down could be related to global affairs.
Just as government authorities scream out “Nationalism,” that nationalism becomes intertwined with exclusionism that rejects other countries. Misinformation regarding neighboring countries grows rampant, and the hate business market expands, overflowing with baseless slanders like “anti-Japanese teachers” and “anti-Japanese scholars”. Calling something “anti-Japanese” and rejecting has grown. Self-regulation has grown in a society where political aggression and intimidation are becoming commonplace, and textbooks are being rewritten due to heavy pressure that continues to grow.
The Russian government continues to claim that the war is “a special military operation,” and the Japanese government rewords “forced recruitment” to “drafting” and “mobilization.” What is the difference? The universal value of education has nothing to do with ideology. What kind of society will be passed down to our future children? Where is this country headed? This film was produced with hopes of peace for all Asian countries and a sense of impending danger.
[FILMOGRAPHY]
SHORTS
Eizou’15 Why We Pick Up the Pen: Okinawa’s Newspaper Reporters (September 2015)
- The 59th Japan Congress of Journalists Award
Eizou’17 Okinawa and the Wandering Echo: A Real Look at the Base Opposition Movement (January 2017)
- The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association TV Broadcasting Award of Excellence in 2017
- The 37th Age of Regionalism Video Festival Award of Excellence
- The 72nd Agency for Cultural Affairs National Arts Festival Award of Excellence, etc.
Eizou’17 Education and Nationalism: What is Happening with Textbooks Today (July 2017)
- The 55th Galaxy Award TV Category Grand Prize
- The 38th Age of Regionalism Video Festival Award of Excellence
Eizou’18 Bashing: The Context Behind Its Origins (December 2018)
- The 39th Age of Regionalism Video Festival Award of Excellence, etc.
[DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION ONLY]
Cinema DAL
(03073) 2F, Sungkyunkwan-ro 5-gil 11-3, Jongno-gu, Seoul, KOREA
Tel. +82-2-337-2135
Fax. +82-2-325-2137
Email. cinemadal@cinemadal.com