Fuso Publishing Inc. repeatedly violated textbook screening regulations by distributing drafts of texts to boards of education and teachers more than eight months before its textbooks were officially approved, the education ministry said Wednesday.
The textbooks published by Fuso have been criticized for glossing over Japan's past colonial rule and military conquests and have drawn fierce protests from China and South Korea. The texts were approved Tuesday.
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry said Fuso began distributing the drafts to teachers and others concerned in late July "in order to gather opinions." It was also learned that Fuso had loaned drafts to teachers in January.