A New Modern History of East Asia

Book excerpt: For decades, historians and societal forces have campaigned for rapprochement, reconciliation and dialogue between East Asian nations. This book is a result of these efforts. Debates regarding the interpretation of the modern history of East Asia continue to affect bilateral relations between the states of the region. History education has become a particularly controversial issue in this context. This book's main message is that a common understanding regarding the history of East Asia is possible, even though some differences remain. It is not only a major contribution to reconciliation in the region, but as the first textbook on the history of East Asia written collaboratively by scholars from three East Asian countries, it is also highly recommended for use in an anglophone teaching environment. The authors are a group of historians, teachers and concerned citizens from China, Japan and South Korea.