This podcast episode explores the issue of Japanese textbooks whitewashing and downplaying Japanese war crimes during World War II and prior, despite a desire for positive portrayals of Japanese culture by the country's citizens. It is highlighted that many people in other countries wish for the Japanese to confront these issues rather than cover them up.
Japanese textbooks have been accused of whitewashing Japanese atrocities during the World War II and pre World War II era. While the Japanese government wants its people to appreciate their heritage and feel a sense of citizenship, people in other countries holds a different perspective towards the content of these textbooks.