Japan has okayed using Mein Kampf, Hitler’s autobiography and Nazi manifesto, in schools for educational purposes just weeks after the similarly controversial Imperial Rescript on Education was approved as “teaching material, ” according to media reports.
Although the Japanese government approved Hitler’s infamous book as “teaching material” for schools on Friday, using it to promote racial hatred will lead to a strict response from regulators, according to the Japan Times report.
The decision came weeks after the controversial Imperial Rescript on Education in schools was approved for the same purposes.
According to many historians, the Rescript, which focuses on patriotism and loyalty to the Japanese Emperor, was one of the primary sources promoting obedience and moral certitude that helped militarism to grow in Japan.
It was issued in 1890 to expound the government’s policy on teaching the Japanese Empire’s guiding principles and it was subsequently distributed to all of the country’s schools, along with a portrait of Emperor Meiji.
