Social studies textbooks must help instill respect for the Hinomaru flag and the "Kimigayo" de facto national anthem among the nation's children, according to the results of last year's textbook screening released Thursday by the Education Ministry.
The 1998 screening, which covered textbooks for elementary school and third-year high school classes, issued fewer "opinions" or change requests, but stubbornly continued to push publishers to go further to instill respect for national symbols.
In the screening of sixth- grade social studies textbooks, the ministry requested that two of the five publishers change their texts' references to the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo."