Historical point on "War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion": The number of casualties on the Chinese side is said to be over 35 million.

[Context & Analysis] The Chinese government has announced that the total number of Chinese military and civilian casualties in the Sino-Japanese War was over 35 million. This figure includes military deaths, civilian deaths, and injuries. Academic estimates vary, with some researchers putting the number of deaths alone at 10 to 20 million. [Verdict] There is a wide range of estimates. (Source: Number of victims of China's War of Resistance against Japan [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China])

Historical point on "War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion": In the 1995 Murayama Statement, Japan expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology" for "colonial rule and invasion."

[Context & Analysis] On August 15, 1995, Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama issued a statement based on the Cabinet decision. ``At one point in the not-so-distant past, our country made a mistake in its national policy, went down the path to war, and put its people in a crisis of survival.Through colonial rule and invasion, it caused great damage and suffering to the people of many countries, especially Asian countries.'' Subsequent prime ministers have basically followed this statement. [Verdict] Official records available (Source: Statement by Prime Minister Murayama (1995) [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan])

Historical point on "War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion": In 2015, Prime Minister Abe released a statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

[Context & Analysis] On August 14, 2015, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved the ``70th Postwar Postwar Statement'' at a cabinet meeting. Using keywords from past statements such as ``incidents, invasions, wars'' and ``colonial rule,'' he said, ``We must not burden our children and grandchildren, who had nothing to do with that war, with the fate of continuing to apologize.'' There was criticism from China and South Korea that the subjectivity of the apology was unclear. [Verdict] Official records available (Source: Statement by the Prime Minister (70 years after the war, 2015) [Prime Minister's Office])

How is "War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion" described in China's history textbooks?

On September 18, 1931, Japanese imperialism caused the "918 Incident" in Shenyang and occupied three provinces by force. This was the beginning of Japan's full-scale invasion of China. (Source: Chinese history textbook (general description))

How is "War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion" described in Japan's history textbooks?

In the 1930s, Japan was affected by the Great Depression and faced economic hardship. The ideal was to secure resources for self-defense, liberate Asia from colonial rule by Western powers, and build a ``Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere'' aiming for co-existence and co-prosperity. (Source: Japanese textbooks (general description))

How is "War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion" described in Korea's history textbooks?

In 1910, Japan forced the union of Korea and Japan and placed the Korean Peninsula under colonial control. This was the beginning of an era in which the Korean people were deprived of their national sovereignty and forced into great hardship. (Source: Korean history textbook (general description))

War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion | HistoryDiff

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This project does not aim to criticize or defend any specific historical narrative or nation. We objectively present differences in textbook and official descriptions to encourage multi-faceted understanding.

ArchivePacific War1931-1945Asia/Pacific region

Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

Perspectives Summary

Related Photos1

The Japanese surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri, September 2, 1945. Nations interpret the war's conclusion date, historical legacy, and postwar order differently.

Source: Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain

United StatesPacific War1931-1945Asia/Pacific region

Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

Source:American high school history textbook (general description)

Source Nature:

Commercial / Standard TextbookOriginal Language

In the 1930s, Japan tightened its military control and expanded its expansionist policies across Asia. The invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the large-scale invasion of China that began in 1937 drew international condemnation.

To stop Japan's aggression, the United States tightened economic sanctions, particularly embargoing oil exports, and hampered Japan's ability to continue the war. In response, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. This was the reason why America entered World War II on the side of the Allied Powers.

Initially, the Japanese army had the upper hand in the Philippines and Guam, but after victory at the Battle of Midway, the American army began a counterattack and gradually approached the Japanese mainland through island hopping (jumping tactics). The battle (World War II) finally ended with the dropping of the atomic bomb and Japan's total surrender.

Perspectives Summary

Item	China	Japan	Korea	United States
Title	War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion	Expansion of the Asia-Pacific War	The period of Japanese occupation and the development of the anti-Japanese independence movement	Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor
Category	Invasion/Resistance	War/conflict	Colonial/Independence Movement	Pacific War
Era	1931-1945	1931-1945	1910-1945	1931-1945
Source	Chinese history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	Japanese textbooks (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	Korean history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookVia Translation	American high school history textbook (general description) Commercial / Standard TextbookOriginal Language
Excerpt	On September 18, 1931, Japanese imperialism caused the "918 Incident" in Shenyang and occupied three provinces by force.…	In the 1930s, Japan was affected by the Great Depression and faced economic hardship. The ideal was to secure resources …	In 1910, Japan forced the union of Korea and Japan and placed the Korean Peninsula under colonial control. This was the …	In the 1930s, Japan tightened its military control and expanded its expansionist policies across Asia. The invasion of M…

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Notes on this comparison

This comparison is based on general descriptions from official or widely used history textbooks in each country. While minor nuances may change in translation, the goal is to highlight differences in how major events are perceived, the order of description, and what is emphasized. In particular, notable differences in the naming of events and the background of their occurrence can be seen between "United States" and "China".

Item

China

Japan

Korea

United States

Title

War of Resistance and Japanese Invasion

Expansion of the Asia-Pacific War

The period of Japanese occupation and the development of the anti-Japanese independence movement

Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

HistoryDiff

Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

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Historical Perception & Bias Diagnostic

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Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

Japanese expansion in the Pacific and Pearl Harbor

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Historical Perception & Bias Diagnostic

Guess the Country's Textbook!

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Public Voices

Notes on this comparison