Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

REPORTER: The results of the examination of junior high school textbooks were released today. In this year’s examination, new standards were applied to multiple cases, such as the requirement that textbooks include the Government’s uniform views on issues, should such views exist. Can you please share with us the Government’s basic view regarding the examination of textbooks?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: First of all, in the Government’s examination of textbooks, books written and edited by private publishers are reviewed for use as textbooks in a fair and neutral manner, in accordance with the official curriculum guidelines and based on the specialized and academic deliberations of the Textbook Approval Research Council. I understand that for the latest review, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology carried out careful deliberations. 

(Abridged)