There are often issues concerning "apologies" between countries.

The recent dispute between Japan and the United States over a US submarine's ramming of a Japanese fishing boat was brought to an end with an apology from the United States.

Not long after, however, the Japanese Education Ministry approved revisions to high school history books which whitewash Japan's heinous crimes during World War II (WWII). These aroused strong protests from other Asian nations who suffered from Japan's aggression.

This situation reveals Japan's double standards when it comes to apologies.

Objectively speaking, the United States has taken a serious stand on the issue. The second day after the Ehime Maru sank, US Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono to extend an apology.

A special US envoy hand-delivered a letter of apology from US President George W. Bush to then Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori later on February 27.

But the Japanese became increasingly tough in its attacks on the United States. Inevitably, the US media had to respond.

In an opinion article in The Washington Post on February 27, the paper showed its discontent with Japan's endless demand for an apology, pointing out that the Japanese had not fully apologized to the estimated 200,000 Asian women forced to become sex slaves to the Japanese military during WWII - and has been extremely reluctant to own up to barbarities such as the Nanjing Massacre.

Japan and the United States were at a stalemate for a whole month. On March 9, Commander of the US submarine, Scott Waddle, offered his apology to the families of some of the nine victims. He said: "I can't ask for forgiveness. This is a burden I will carry to the grave."

So far, the Japanese have received apologies for the concerns closest to the situation.

Japan's demand for apologies is right and proper so long as it is not used as leverage for political gain. And lessons can be learned to avoid the same mistakes being made again. Thus an unreserved apology has led to a win-win scenario by closing the rift between the two countries and presenting an example for the future.

In such situations, it is essential that both sides in a dispute are operating on a level playing field.

If one is strict with others but lenient towards oneself, huge obstacles can be placed in the path of future communication.

On the basis of recent evidence, it appears that the Japanese are unstinting with others when it comes to demanding apologies but somewhat more reluctant to admit and seek forgiveness for their own mistakes and transgressions.

It has become a chronic disease in the postwar period that Japan is lenient with itself on the issue of recognizing the war.

One only needs to look at the revised high school history textbooks for evidence of a systematic distortion of Japan's role in the war. They have perverted, whitewashed and fabricated the nature and purpose of the war.

Here are some examples.

The right-wing textbook played down the Nanjing Massacre referring to it as an "incident." An explanatory note seeks to further downplay the "incident." The book states: "Tokyo trials affirmed that the Japanese troops killed many Chinese civilians when they captured Nanjing in 1937. At the same time, there is doubt from material about the actuality of the incident. Opinions are divided on this. The debate still remains."

Such a statement is nothing but an out-and-out denial of the ferocious genocide of Chinese civilians and soldiers in Nanjing.

According to the textbook, Japan entered WWII in an attempt to maintain its "self-defence" and "free Asia from the rule of Europe and the US" and then build the "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere."

The textbook whitewashes Japan's occupation of Korea as "necessary to insure the security of Japan and Manchoukuo" and "legally conducted according to the principal of international relations."

It is hard to imagine what this concept of history will convey to the young Japanese generation.

Even some insightful Japanese people have pointed out that "rootless stories have become the main body of Japanese history textbooks."

More than half a century has passed since the end of WWII. But the Japanese Government has failed to alter its stance on the issue in many far-reaching ways.

This retrogression is deeply rooted in a number of reasons.

First, geography has a strong influence on Japan's domestic politics and foreign policies. Japan is facing the sharp contradiction of scarce resources and developed industry, which has led to a sense of living crisis and concerns about foreign aggrandizement among its people and the government.

Influenced by these feelings and stirred up by the ruling parties, the Japanese people find it hard to grasp the aggressive nature of the war. On the contrary, they tend to accept the idea that "wars are of national interest." These are the ideological and social roots which help explain why Japan is unwilling to make a full apology.

Second, Japan has taken the militarist road since the Meiji Reform. From 1874 to 1941, Japan launched nine wars, none of which was a war of self-defence. Thus Japan cannot fully understand the suffering and resentment of the invaded nations but thinks it reasonable and moral to start wars for its own interest. This helps explain the historical roots of Japan's unwillingness to atone for its crimes.

Third, Japanese people have a strong national inclination to be loyal to the Emperor - as well as a kind of blind national arrogance.

The proclamation issued by Emperor Hirohito used the words of "accepting the terms set forth in the declarations issued by the heads of the governments of the United States, Great Britain, and China on July 26th, 1945 at Potsdam and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" instead of saying "surrender" to these countries.

This revealed the Emperor's reluctance to bow his head to defeat and to other nations.

Even today, the Japanese Government is still taking the same stance - that the admission of aggression "insults" the Japanese nation. Such a sense of nationalism is surely another reason for Japan's reluctance to make a full apology.

It seems not an easy task for the Japanese Government to face up to history, recognize the nature of war and admit to and criticize wartime crimes. But China and other invaded Asian countries are looking forward to its coming.

The author is a researcher with the Institute of International Strategic Studies.