The city assembly of Tomigusuku, Okinawa Prefecture, called Monday on the education ministry to retract its instructions to textbook publishers to modify statements that Okinawa residents were forced by the military into committing mass suicide during the Battle of Okinawa.

It is the first time that a municipality in Okinawa has passed a motion opposing the instructions since the results of the textbook screening process were released in late March.

The Tomigusuku Municipal Assembly unanimously approved the statement, addressed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, education minister Bunmei Ibuki and chiefs of the Upper and Lower houses.

It also demands that the original descriptions be restored in the textbooks.