Kazuyo Yamane

Grassroots Museums for Peace in Japan: Unknown Efforts for Peace and Reconciliation Kazuyo Yamane

There are many peace museums in Japan, but the quality of the exhibitions is problematic because Japan¿s victim side of World War II tends to be exhibited at public peace museums without exhibiting Japan¿s aggression. The Osaka International Peace Centre is a public peace museum, but the exhibitions on Japan¿s aggression could remain in spite of nationalists¿ attacks in the 1990s, which raised a question why it was possible to exhibit Japan¿s aggression. The aim of this book is to explore citizens¿ efforts for promoting peace and reconciliation at peace museums in Japan in the 1990s. This book brings into light citizens¿ efforts for peace and reconciliation at the Osaka International Peace Centre and also three private peace museums. It is argued that citizens¿ active attitude and action are the key factors for peace museums to exhibit the historical truth (Japan¿s aggression) and engage in peacemaking at both public and private peace museums. This book should be useful to professionals in peace education, peace research, and peace making through peace museums, or anyone else who is interested in promoting peace.