Thinking about History Education. (July 15th)

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The other day, I heard a somewhat surprising story from someone who works as a university lecturer.
It was quite shocking.

In a question asking students to choose a 'country that did not fight against Japan' during the last global conflict, World War II, with the options being '
U.S., China, Russia (former Soviet Union), Germany', when they were asked to answer,

12 out of 50 students chose the U.S. as a country that did not fight against Japan.
Furthermore, among those who correctly identified that Japan and the U.S. had fought, there were students who asked with a straight face, 'Which side won, Japan or the U.S.?', which was very surprising.

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I was curious, so I asked people around me, and it seems that regarding history,

'they spend plenty of time learning carefully up until the middle of the Edo period,' but
after that, especially regarding the modern and contemporary Showa era, it approaches the end of the school year, the classes are rushed, and they don't remember it.

Although it is separate from school education, one aspect as entertainment is that the period from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji Restoration is particularly rich in content and can be said to be familiar to us.

It is popular with viewers in Taiga dramas and the like, and the 'Sonnō Jōi' (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians) movement from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji era, which has been produced and broadcast many times with changing casts, and the patriots of the end of the Edo period who lived through those turbulent times. For example,the NHK Taiga drama 'Ryōmaden' with Ryūichi Sakamoto as the protagonist, and 'Segodon' about Takamori Saigō,

although it is undeniable that he has a much more understated impression compared to the previous two, he is called the 'father of Japanese capitalism', and his great achievements in the field of social welfare projects are also recognized, and he is depicted on the current 10,000 yen bill, Eiichi Shibusawa.
The 2021 Taiga drama that depicted his life, 'Seiten wo Tsuke'. Do you remember it?

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Speaking of the modern and contemporary era, the historical view in Germany, which was in an alliance with Japan and Italy during the last war,

'The Holocaust' is taught very carefully, including reflection as a nation and people, so
why is it that in Japan, the history of the same period is not properly conveyed to children?
Someone please tell me.

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However, when thinking about modern social conditions,
even if you know that 'the author of The Tale of Genji is Murasaki Shikibu' or 'the first shogun of the Edo Shogunate is Tokugawa Ieyasu', how much will that help?

To think about the present, isn't modern and contemporary history, which flows directly into the present, the most important?

It is wonderful to be interested in the patriot of the end of the Edo period, Ryoma Sakamoto.
However, within the 64 long years, there was war and peace, and post-war reconstruction from defeat. The 'Showa' era, which welcomed the period of high economic growth and made us dream that Japan would be energetic and that upward growth would continue forever.

The remnants of prosperity from the Showa era, the collapse of the bubble, and the rapidly advancing aging population with a declining birthrate. The 'Heisei' era, wrapped in the lost 30 years plus alpha, and the 'Reiwa' of today, suffering from the phantoms of low growth and deflation.

Even if you are in Japan, the world situation that leaks through various media is global warming, which is gradually becoming unstoppable. The population explosion in developing countries that is said to occur in the future. The securing of food and safe drinking water derived from that is also called '
'Food Security'', and in developed countries, each country's Grain majors (Note*) are steadily proceeding with enclosure. Diplomacy between countries is severe. I think it is difficult to survive in the international community unless we properly grasp the modern and contemporary historical view that is in line with the current movements of the world...Diplomacy between countries is severe. I think it is difficult to survive in the international community unless we properly grasp the modern and contemporary historical view that is in line with the current movements of the world...

I hope you have a good day today as well.
(🎹MIYABI)

(Note*)
Grain major
U.S. Cargill, U.S. ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), French Louis Dreyfus, Swiss Glencore, etc.

This is the bottom.
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