A new edition of Japanese textbooks, scheduled to be released in 2027, according to Russian diplomacy, reflects Tokyo's attempt to influence the perspective of the younger generation on history. This was stated by Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference.

According to her, the updated textbooks contain expanded sections dedicated to Japan's claims regarding the Southern Kuril Islands and other territorial disputes with neighboring countries. At the same time, she claims that there is almost no mention of the war crimes committed by militaristic Japan in the first half of the 20th century.

The Southern Kuril Islands are a group of four islands in the Pacific Ocean, which have been the subject of a long-standing dispute between Russia and Japan. In Japan, they are known as the Northern Territories.

Zakharova also accused the Japanese leadership of distorting the historical memory of young people and influencing their perception of the current geopolitical order through this approach.

CMG