Foreign Ministry official Qiao Zonghuai summoned Japanese Ambassador Koreshige Anami on Tuesday to lodge a solemn objection to the Japanese Ministry of Education's approval of textbooks that deny history and glorify Japan's wartime aggression.

Qiao noted that the Japanese government announced Tuesday that all eight history textbooks for high schools submitted for approval were approved, but they included those compiled by right-wing forces and which deny crimes and glorify Japanese aggression during World War II.

"The Chinese government is indignant at the Japanese government for its approval of such textbooks that distort history in disregard of repeated representations from China," Qiao said. "The textbook issue largely determines whether Japan can appropriately treat its militaristic history of aggression and instill in its young citizens a right perception of that history."

He said that the textbooks deny justice and morality and that their use will cause severe harm to people from all Asian countries and poison Japanese juveniles.

"The textbooks will be vehemently condemned by people from all Asian countries that were victimized by Japan, including the Chinese," said Qiao. "We strongly urge the Japanese government to honestly honor its commitment of expressing remorse for its militaristic history, and take effective measures to eliminate the odious impact of the issue."

On Tuesday afternoon, Chinese ambassador to Japan Wang Yi also reiterated China's stance on the history textbook issue to the Japanese government in Tokyo.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2005)