introduction
To all of you reading this book

Part 1: Change and Modernization in East Asia

Chapter 1: Opening of Ports and Modernization

1 Did the West suddenly appear in East Asia one day?
2 In what language were the diplomatic talks conducted?
3 Where did the people encounter the 'West'?
4 How did the modern people respond and participate in the process of establishing a new nation?
Column Mexico's Silver
Column: Folk Religion and Gender Equality
Long live the column

Chapter 2: War and the Reorganization of East Asian Order

1 Who fought and for what in the Sino-Japanese War?
2 How did the Russo-Japanese War change people's worldview?
3 How did Japan colonize Taiwan?
4 How did Japan rule over Joseon?
Column: Horses mobilized by the Japanese military in the war
The Birth of Columnist Jeong Ro-hwan
Column: The 1900 Paris World's Fair

Chapter 3: Changes in People's Lives

1 When did suits and short hair start?
2 What changes did the development of new transportation and telegraphy bring to the people?
3 How have family and gender relationships changed?
4 What and how did children learn with the advent of schools?
New Year's Day in Three Countries
The emergence of column photography and the lives of the people
Column: The Beginning of Physical Education in Schools

Part 2: Two World Wars and East Asia

Chapter 1: East Asia after World War I

1 How did the people perceive the impact of World War I on East Asia?
2 How did the people of East Asia view the Russian Revolution?
What kind of world did the 3·1 Movement and the 5·4 Movement dream of?
4 Why did efforts to prevent war fail?
Column: Asia's Rice Turmoil
The Great Kanto Earthquake from the Perspective of East Asian History
Column: Asian and African Peoples Mobilized in World War I

Chapter 2 Total War and Popular Resistance in East Asia

1 Why did Japan continue to expand its foreign wars?
2 How was conscription carried out during the war?
3 What kind of violence was inflicted on women on the battlefield?
How did the people of the four countries resist Japan's war of aggression?
The Wanbaoshan Incident: A Case Intertwined Between Korea, China, and Japan
Column: Singing Peace

Chapter 3: Popular Culture and People's Lives

1 Why did the Tomiko family come to Joseon?
2 How did city dwellers in East Asia live?
3 What songs did the masses in the colonies and on the battlefields sing?
4 How did children survive in the era of total war?
Column "China's Red Star"
Column Children's Day
A New Woman Who Studied Abroad Jumps into Women's Education

Part 3: The Modern World and East Asia

Chapter 1: Changes in International Relations and the People

1 What day is August 15th?
2 Why are some countries in East Asia still unable to establish peaceful diplomatic relations?
3 Why do US military bases still remain in East Asia?
4 What efforts have East Asians made for peace?
Column: Traditional Festivals in East Asia
Column Peace Memorial Hall
Column: The Nationality of Zainichi Koreans

Chapter 2: The Light and Shadow of Economic Growth

1 Why did the economies of East Asian countries grow so rapidly?
2 Has economic growth enriched people's lives?
3 Can a high level of education guarantee future 'happiness'?
4 Is a man who raises children the 'ideal man'?
Column Me Too Movement
Column Internet and Social Media
Column: The New Generation of East Asia

Chapter 3: The Future of East Asia

1 Why has globalization led to infinite competition?
2 What threatens the safety of East Asian people?
3 How can we resolve historical conflicts and move toward reconciliation?
4 What can we do for peace in East Asia?
Column by Lee Su-hyeon
Column: North and South Korea Getting Closer Through Sports
Column: Animation, Games, and K-Pop Beyond Borders

Editorial review
About the Author
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1.
The first step toward peace in the historical war between Korea, China, and Japan
Seeking a Common Historical Perception for Peace in East Asia

As nationalism intensifies in East Asia and right-wing extremism grows globally, mutual hatred is spreading among young people in South Korea, China, and Japan.
As long-standing historical conflicts resurface in reality in new forms before a resolution can be found, the search for peace and coexistence is urgent.
To this end, beyond simply listing the modern and contemporary histories of each country, the three countries have come together to publish "A History that Opens Peace" to create a shared historical awareness for peace in East Asia and to build future-oriented relations.

A key feature of this book is its comprehensive coverage of the common issues facing East Asia today, from the post-Cold War era to today, including education, the environment, security, peace, and gender issues.
In addition to critically recognizing the history of past invasions and wars, we also devoted significant weight to understanding how the numerous everyday problems occurring in the three countries have intertwined past and present.
I wrote this book with the hope that readers will understand that East Asians must unite across borders to solve these problems.
― From the “Editorial Note” (pp. 443–444)

The three East Asian countries still experience complex and sharp conflicts due to differences in historical perceptions, territorial disputes, and perceptions of each other's current reality and future.
In particular, the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku Islands), THAAD, forced conscription, and the Japanese military's "comfort women" issue remain hot topics in Korea-China-Japan relations.
In this context, "History Opens Peace" "jointly uncovers the truth of history based on facts and evidence, and, based on the firm belief in realizing peace in East Asia, seeks a path for East Asia to move toward true reconciliation."
It emphasizes that only when readers in the three countries transcend their nationalistic perspectives can they clearly discover other aspects of history they have known, namely truths previously unseen, and emphasizes the importance of understanding neighbors beyond their borders.
He also explains that being hostile to someone is fundamentally due to not knowing the other person well, and emphasizes that dialogue, discussion, and solidarity toward the future will open up the possibility of a new history.
In this way, "History Opens Peace" looks at history from a broader perspective that transcends narrow nationalism, and focuses on broadening the historical awareness that the three countries can share.

The most important thing is to know your friends across borders.
Being hostile to someone is basically because you don't know them well.
Dialogue, discussion, and solidarity toward the future will enrich not only ourselves but also others, opening up the possibility of a new history.
Through this book, I hope readers will realize that they have many friends beyond their borders and build a bond of solidarity that will create a peaceful and prosperous future.
― From “To You Who Are Reading This Book” (page 10)

2.
Open history education that begins with questions and ends with questions
―A historical discussion and dialogue that begins with 36 key questions.

The most significant characteristic of "A History That Opens Peace" is that, rather than presenting a single correct answer or displaying a one-sided approach to knowledge transfer, it begins and ends with questions, encouraging readers to think from various perspectives.
This book covers the history of three East Asian countries, from the opening of ports to two wars, the colonial period, post-war political changes and economic development, and up to the present day in the 21st century.
By asking 36 key questions, it encourages historical exploration that directly connects to the realities of youth and young adults in the three countries.

This book is about modern and contemporary East Asian history surrounding the three countries of Korea, China, and Japan.
Modern and contemporary history is divided into three 'parts' by era.
'Boo' is similar to the 'act' in a play, which indicates a major change in the scene.
Each act is divided into three 'chapters', each of which is divided into four 'sections', according to the flow of time and theme.
In a total of 36 'sections', you can enter the scene through various materials such as paintings and photographs from that time.
We hope that readers will use the illustrations, photographs, and literature to think about and answer the questions history raises for themselves.
Through this, you will be able to develop the ability to read history by using various materials, rather than just learning about history through text.

― From “To those who read this book” (page 9)

For example, questions like “What language were diplomatic negotiations conducted in?” and “Did the West suddenly appear in East Asia one day?” raise fundamental questions about facts that might have been taken for granted in existing history textbooks or classes, and encourage students to understand the complexity and multifaceted nature of the situation from the perspective of East Asian history, moving beyond passive knowledge acquisition and experiencing the process of finding answers on their own.
Furthermore, questions such as, “Why do US military bases still exist in East Asia?” and “Why have the issues of forced conscription and the Japanese military’s ‘comfort women’ not yet been resolved?” prompt us to consider how issues of past invasion and conflict are still deeply intertwined with current East Asian relations, people’s daily lives, and even the issue of peace.
Furthermore, questions like, "What shadow has East Asia's dazzling economic growth left behind?" and "Why are the young generations in the three countries experiencing intense competition for college entrance and employment difficulties?" prompt reflection on key issues facing the younger generation within a historical context.
In this way, "A History that Opens Peace" deeply explores how the countless everyday problems occurring in the three countries have been intertwined in the past and present, and helps readers understand that to solve these problems, East Asians must transcend national borders and unite with one another.

3.
A 24-year collaborative effort to compile a history that transcends national borders
―The fruit of ongoing dialogue and mutual understanding among historians, teachers, and citizens from Korea, China, and Japan.

This book is a valuable achievement of the 24-year journey of the "Historical Perception and East Asia Peace Forum," which began in Nanjing, China in 2002.
Historians, teachers, and citizens from Korea, China, and Japan who met at this forum decided to write a joint East Asian history textbook, and following the publication of “History Opening the Future” (Hankyoreh Publishing) in 2005 and “Modern and Contemporary East Asian History Written Together by Korea, China, and Japan 1·2” (Humanist) in 2012, they will publish their third joint history textbook, “History Opening Peace,” in 2025.
The two previous books received significant attention not only in each country as the first joint history textbooks of the three East Asian countries and as the result of solidarity among civil societies of Korea, China, and Japan, but also internationally, with English editions published by the University of Hawaii in the United States and the Georg Eckert Institute in Germany.
However, in a situation where nationalism is strengthening and mutual hatred is spreading in each East Asian country, I felt the need to ask and answer more honestly why historical conflicts still persist and why establishing peace in East Asia is difficult, so I began the third compilation project.


"History Opening Peace" is the result of 11 years of collaborative work from 2015 to 2025.
This book took more than twice as long to write as my previous books.
While previous books had each country write its own history and the other two countries offer their own revisions, this book significantly increases the intensity of cooperation among the three countries.
Although one member was in charge of writing each chapter, the three members took turns reviewing the text and making major revisions to complete the text.
The authors emphasize that, “To move beyond historical conflicts and resolve the ongoing issues in Korea, China, and Japan, solidarity across East Asian borders is necessary.”
The three collaborations that lasted 24 years were not smooth sailing.
However, through constant discussion, debate, and dialogue, we came to understand each other, empathize with each other, and agree with each other as we created the book together, and the depth of our solidarity deepened.
The significance of this collaborative, cross-border historical compilation project is fully captured in this book.


“Although historical dialogue between the three countries took place in various forms, there were still many points of conflict in each country’s perception of history.
As nationalism intensified in East Asia, conflicting interests arose, and mutual hatred spread among youth in the three countries through various media outlets.
In this situation, there were limitations to teaching materials that unilaterally presented the correct answer to readers.
“We desperately needed an open history textbook that honestly asked why young people in three countries were conflicted over historical issues, and where authors and readers could explore the answers together.”
― From the “Editorial Note” (page 443)

“Over the past 24 years, the Joint History Compilation Committee has held a total of 49 international conferences (plenary meetings) in the three countries, including 12 in the first phase, 17 in the second phase, and 20 in the third phase, to coordinate mutual opinions.
In addition, we held representative meetings and working-level meetings once in Stage 1, five times in Stage 2, and ten times in Stage 3 to correct factual errors and resolve mutual disputes.
Especially for the three years since early 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were no longer able to meet each other and instead held non-face-to-face video conferences.
While virtual meetings limited in-depth discussions, we also saw that they were a valuable tool for increasing opportunities for East Asians to communicate across borders.”
―From the “Editorial Note” (page 444)

“Although there were many difficulties during the compilation process that lasted over 20 years, we were able to achieve the desired results thanks to the support and encouragement of many people.
…I have had the pleasure of meeting many people over the years, but I have had to say goodbye to some of them, which was a matter of life and death.
…their efforts and will will not be forgotten as long as East Asian historical dialogue progresses.
As I published this book, many new researchers joined me, filling in the gaps I felt.
I hope that they will continue their journey to establish a shared understanding of East Asia's history, and that the East Asian peace community we have dreamed of for the past 24 years will become a reality."
―From the “Editorial Note” (page 445)