The Manyoshu is a classic and a culture that Japan should proudly share with the world.　

Korea celebrates Yi Sun-sin as a hero of salvation and one of the world's three greatest admirals.
December 20, 2018
The following is from a collection of conversations titled "Discussing the Japanese National Chronicle" by Naoki Hyakuta and Kaori Arimoto, which appeared in last month's issue of the monthly magazine Hanada.

A Complete History that Makes You Love Japan.
Hyakuta
What inspired me to write "Japanese National Chronicle" was my conversation with Kent Gilbert last year.
The topic covered a wide range of topics. Still, when the discussion turned to history education, I asked Kent about American history education, as I had long felt that Japanese history education was getting worse and worse.　
I asked Kent-san about American history education, and he replied, "When children learn from American history textbooks, they all fall in love with America. And everyone is proud to be born in the United States.
When I heard that, I thought, "That's great. That is what history education is all about." At the same time, I felt envious and wondered why there were no such books on Japanese history in Japan.
Then I realized, "Well, if there isn't one, I should write one myself.
Arimoto　
Recently, many history-related books have been published in Japan, but only some of them are complete history in one volume.
Hyakuta　
There are only those published by textbook companies.
Furthermore, there are no books on Japanese history that will make you feel grateful for being born in Japan and proud of being Japanese.　
Of course, every country has a negative history.
But that is something that children need to learn as they grow up and gain various kinds of knowledge.
There is no need to suddenly teach negative history to innocent children who know nothing about it.
No, modern school education teaches only negative history.
What is terrible is that there is even false history among them.　
Instead of such a distorted history, I decided to write a general history of Japan that would make everyone who reads it, including children, love Japan, be proud to be Japanese and feel glad to have been born in Japan.　
At that time, I told Ms. Arimoto, who happened to be working with me, "Next time, I'm thinking of writing a book on Japanese history like this.'' 
At that time, I was still thinking, "I wish I could write a book like this...'' That's all I thought, but I blurted it out.
Then Ms. Arimoto said, "You should write it!"
Arimoto
Write it down!" I didn't say that in a commanding tone (laughs).
Please don't mislead the readers.
I said, "By all means, please write."
Hyakuta　
If Ms. Arimoto, who is also an excellent editor, would back me up, there is nothing more powerful than that.
I could write it, so I began preparations last year and started writing earnestly at the beginning of this year.
It took me about a year and more than 2,000 hours to complete the book, and although there were many difficult moments in the writing process, the whole process was delightful.　
At the age of 62, I studied Japanese history again.
I read again all the books I had read on Japanese history, and I also thoroughly read a vast amount of new material.
I even read all the volumes of "Learning Manga: Japanese History" published by Shogakukan and Shueisha.
Arimoto　
"Learning Manga: Japanese History" is fascinating even for adults, isn't it?
Hyakuta
Yes, it is.
It's not something to be fooled with.
It has an interest not found in ordinary history textbooks.
It is a manga, of course, but there are historical figures, such as Kiyomori Taira and Nobunaga Oda, who speak.
It is what makes them attractive, and it is something that you cannot find in a history textbook that merely describes events.
You don't find that kind of thing in ordinary history books.
In that sense, it was helpful for me in writing the book.　
As is well known, the words "history" and "story" have the same origin.
In other words, history is a story.
In writing "The Japanese National Chronicle," I was always conscious that "history is a story."
Arimoto　
When I read the manuscript sent to me by Mr. Hyakuta, I was impressed again and again that he is indeed a storyteller of rare ability.
In "The Japanese National Chronicle," the causal relationships of how each historical event occurred and how they are connected are beautifully written.
The story is solidly three-dimensional, so even readers familiar with historical events and people's names but need to become more familiar with cause-and-effect relationships will be convinced or surprised. I think.

Subjectivity laid bare
Hyakuta　
Most existing history books do not have the author's subjectivity or perspective.
Such things should not be included in history books.
It is said that it is necessary to be as objective as possible.
However, it is impossible to be objective in history.
When you get right down to it, subjectivity is inevitable.
That is the nature of history.　
In "The Japanese National Chronicle," my subjectivity appears everywhere.
At times, there are many points where the subjectivity is exposed, such as, "This fact moves me,'' or "I tremble with anger at this.''
Arimoto　
The first sentence of the first chapter is, "Where does our history begin?"
You intentionally did not choose "Japanese history'' as the subject.
Hyakuta
Yes, I did.
From the very first line, I have my subjectivity.
It is the first time there has been a history book like this.　
For example, regarding the "Manyoshu'', existing history books only describe it as "the oldest extant Japanese poetry collection. It is said to have been compiled around 760 AD and contains 4,536 poems.''
They don't tell the reader what's most important.
What is that?
It is indeed the oldest existing waka anthology. 
Still, despite the status system in those days, it contains not only poems written by the emperor, the royal family, and powerful families but also many poems written by low-ranking officials, farmers, and commoners, such as the commoners themselves.
In other words, the spirit of the period was that all people were equal in the great art of poetry and that for the people of the time, composing poetry was a common pastime, not a culture reserved for a select few.
There is no other country in the world that had such a culture 1,300 years ago.
The Manyoshu is a classic and a culture that Japan should proudly share with the world.　
These are my subjective opinions, but teaching these things is proper history education. 　
On the other hand, as I read various history textbooks and specialized books for my writing, I felt that they were not historical books but rather "chronological explanatory books'' that described events that had happened in detail.
Many Japanese history books fall into this category.
They will make the reader bored while reading.

Textbooks written from a Korean historical perspective
Arimoto　
Moreover, many of them contain things that are not historical facts, don't they?
Hyakuta
That's right.
For example, one of the most surprising things in history textbooks is the description of Hideyoshi's invasion of Joseon.
For example, in "Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598)," the Japanese forces suffered a lot from the activities of Yi Sun-sin of Joseon.
It also states that the Ming and Joseon naval forces led by Yi Sun-sin annihilated the Japanese forces in the last naval battle, the Battle of Noryang, in 1598.
Actually, these are all fictions.
Arimoto　
Korea has been celebrating Yi Sun-sin as a hero of salvation and one of the three greatest admirals in the world.
Even recently, it is still fresh in their minds that the Korean Navy raised a flag that they believe is the same design as the one used by Yi Sun-sin during the international fleet review held in Jeju Island.
Hyakuta
However, Yi Sun-shin's accomplishments were negligible.
The only thing that he did was to attack a convoy of Japanese troops without escort in the early stages of the battle in 1592 and had some success.
In the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598), the Japanese forces overwhelmed the Ming forces from start to finish.
If they had continued to attack the Ming, they would likely have driven the Ming into a corner.　
However, with Hideyoshi's death from illness in 1598, conflicts broke out among the feudal lords supporting the Toyotomi regime, and the situation was no longer conducive to continuing foreign wars.
Therefore, the Five Grand Elders of the Toyotomi family ordered the Japanese army to retreat, keeping Hideyoshi's death a secret, and the entire army withdrew that year.　
At this time, the Battle of Noryang mentioned earlier took place during the retreat.
The battle started with a surprise ambush attack by the naval forces of the Ming and Joseon forces, and both sides suffered losses. Still, while many major generals of the Ming and Joseon forces were killed in the battle, almost no Japanese generals died in the battle, and the battle was considered a great victory for the Japanese forces in effect.
Yi Sun-sin was also killed in this battle.
Arimoto　
It is a historical fact that the Japanese forces overwhelmed the Ming and Joseon forces in the battle of 1598, which is also acknowledged by the Chinese side, right?
Hyakuta　
It is as you say.
In the "History of the Ming Dynasty," it is written, "Seven years after Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Joseon began, the Ming lost 100,000 soldiers and expended one million rations, but there was no chance of victory between the Ming and Joseon.
It is not written in Japanese history textbooks.　
Incidentally, it is said that the Ming and Joseon forces used turtle ships to disturb the Japanese forces in the Battle of Noryang, but this is also fiction.
There are no drawings or written records of the turtle ship then.
It is a complete fiction made up by the Korean side.
Arimoto　
However, some Japanese history textbooks and reference books include the turtle ship and even a bronze statue of Yi Sun-sin.
Of course, if they were based on historical facts, it would be a different story, but now they are mixed with fiction based on the wishes of the Korean side.
In other words, Japanese textbooks are written and taught to children based on the "Korean historical perspective."
It is very problematic.
To be continued.