Textbook Approvals Halted Over Privacy Breach

TOKYO, Mar 23 (News On Japan) - The screening process for textbooks to be used in junior highs nationwide from April next year has concluded, despite the approval of two textbooks being deferred due to an information leak.

This screening targeted textbooks for junior high students starting in the 2025 academic year. Following revisions based on feedback from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a total of 100 textbooks were approved.

However, the approval of two textbooks in the social studies history section was deferred due to information being leaked before the screening results were made public.

This marks the first time approvals have been deferred in the textbook screening process.

The Ministry plans to thoroughly review the entire screening process for these two textbooks before announcing the results at a later date.

Junior high textbook screenings are conducted every four years, similar to those for elementary schools.

Nearly all of the 100 approved textbooks across ten subjects feature QR codes that allow access to videos and audio, demonstrating a move towards the integration of paper textbooks and digital materials.

Additionally, many subjects now include discussions on the importance of digital literacy, such as fact-checking to combat fake news.

Famous personalities, such as Shohei Ohtani who moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Sota Fujii, who updated his record of consecutive title wins in shogi to "21", are featured in various subjects.

Source: ANN

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