Japan’s Defense Ministry has faced criticism over its recent decision to distribute a children’s version of its annual Defense White Paper to elementary, junior high, and high school students nationwide. The ministry released the simplified edition, aimed at younger readers, as part of its efforts to promote awareness of Japan’s defense policies amid increased military spending.
The 34-page booklet, published annually online since 2021 and distributed to elementary schools for the first time in 2024, includes sections on the daily lives of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel, details on SDF equipment, ranks, insignia, and information on how to join the force. However, it has drawn significant opposition from educators, civic groups, and local education boards concerned about its content and potential impact on students.
An Osaka-based civic organization campaigning against textbooks perceived to promote militarism launched an online petition on August 29 opposing the booklet’s distribution, which had garnered over 37,000 signatures as of late October, including support from more than 100 university professors, lawyers, and other professionals. The group plans to present the petition to education boards across Japan’s 47 prefectures and hold discussions with the Defense and Education Ministries.
Critics argue the booklet risks undermining the pacifist principles enshrined in Japan’s post-World War II Constitution and revives militarist education reminiscent of the prewar era, when state-authored textbooks and directives like the Imperial Rescript on Education were used to inculcate militarist ideology. Masahiro Iga, co-chair of the petition group and an elementary school teacher in Osaka, expressed concern that the booklet’s content could promote hostility, especially since the Defense White Paper labels China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Russia as “security threats.” This, they warn, may foster xenophobia, discrimination, and bullying against students from those backgrounds.
Local education boards in several prefectures, including Aomori, Kanagawa, and Gunma, have refused to cooperate with the Defense Ministry’s distribution efforts. Officials cited concerns about the booklet resembling a recruitment tool for the SDF, the potential to incite discrimination and bullying, and the need to maintain political neutrality in educational materials.
The All Japan Teachers and Staffs Union has also publicly urged the Defense Ministry to suspend the booklet’s dissemination, criticizing it for its strong emphasis on military strength and recruitment while offering limited attention to diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution. Nobuko Murata, a union executive committee member, noted that although the 2026 edition mentions “diplomacy” for the first time, the emphasis remains largely on military deterrence.
Some local politicians have echoed these apprehensions. Yasuko Igarashi, a Social Democratic Party member of Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward Assembly, warned that the booklet could encourage prejudice and bullying against students of Chinese descent in local schools.
In contrast, proponents argue the booklet aims to raise awareness of Japan’s defense posture amid regional security challenges. Tatsuo Sekiguchi, head of a civic group in Nagasaki, contended that the booklet reflects the government’s need to portray neighboring countries as security threats and underscore the importance of strengthening Japan’s military capabilities. He suggested that education should also address Japan’s historical aggression to prevent a recurrence of past tragedies while acknowledging present security realities.
The debate highlights ongoing tensions in Japan about balancing constitutional pacifism with evolving security concerns and the role of education in shaping perceptions about national defense and international relations.