BILL NUMBER:S6599

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring certain text-books to reference the Sea of Japan as also the
East Sea and to include information on "comfort women"

PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

To facilitate the teaching of an unbiased and factual account of
events that occurred during World War II involving the Comfort Women
and to reference that the Sea of Japan is also known as the East Sea.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends the education law by adding two new
sections 706 and 707 which require that any text-book approved and
issued pursuant to section seven hundred one of this article which
refers to the Sea of Japan shall note that it is also referred to as
the East Sea and also include historical information regarding the
"comfort women". The term "comfort women" shall collectively refer to
the acquisition of thousands of women by the government of japan for
the sole purpose of sexual servitude for the Imperial Japanese army
during World War II.

Section 2 sets an immediate effective date and shall apply to any
text-books issued on and after July 1, 2019.
              

JUSTIFICATION:

The purpose of this legislation is to facilitate the teaching of an
unbiased and factual account of events that occurred during World War
II involving the "Comfort Women" and an acknowledgement that the Sea
of Japan is also known as the East Sea.

These two separate issues recognize important historical facts to many
members of the Korean community in New York state and throughout the
United States, therefore it is important to ensure these are
accurately reflected in the text books used to teach our students.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army forced thousands of
women to prostitute themselves for the benefit of the Emperor's troops
in Korea and other nations. There have been recent efforts to deny the
existence of this atrocity and to blame it on alleged "racial
conflicts" and efforts to harass the people of Japan. These attempts
to deny or minimize these historic events make it necessary to provide
an unbiased and factual account of these issues to our students. It is
also important to make sure this history is taught in light of the
increasing amount of sex trafficking that is happening within the
United States as well as throughout the world. We cannot allow the
history of the "Comfort Women" to be ignored and we must shed light on
this continuing victimization of women and men that has a long and
torturous legacy dating many thousands of years.

This bill will also facilitate an understanding that the body of water
that separates the Korean Peninsula and Japan should be known as the
"East Sea" as well as the "Sea of Japan". While the name "Sea of
Japan" was introduced sometime during the late 1920's during a time


when Japan occupied Korea, both Korea and China have referred to this
same body of water as the "East Sea" for well over 2000 years. In
addition, there are dozens of world maps predating the 19th century
that refer to this body of water as the "East Sea".

Moreover, two separate international resolutions have established the
standards of naming a sea area that is shared by multiple countries.
The International Hydrographic Organization Technical Resolution
A.4.2.6 (adopted on March 13, 1974) provided that when countries
sharing a given geographical feature do not agree on a common name,
the names used by each of the countries should be used concurrently.
This standard is confirmed by the United Nations Resolution on
Geographical Names 111/20 (adopted in 1977), which further stated that
accepting only one or some of such names while excluding the rest
would be inconsistent in principle as well as inexpedient in practice.
Furthermore, the internationally established custom indicates that
seas bordering different countries should not be named after one
particular nation. Therefore acknowledging the dual reference of the
"Sea of Japan" and the "East Sea" would be in full compliance with
this international principle.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any
text-books issued on and after July 1, 2014.

                                BILL NUMBER:S6599A

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring certain text-books to reference the Sea of Japan as also the
East Sea and to include information on "comfort women"

PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

To facilitate the teaching of an unbiased and factual account of
events that occurred during World War II involving the Comfort Women
and to reference that the Sea of Japan is also known as the East Sea.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends the education law by adding two new
sections 706 and 707 which require that any text-book approved and
issued pursuant to section seven hundred one of this article which
refers to the Sea of Japan shall change the name from Sea of Japan to
the East Sea, or in the alternative shall note that it is also
referred to as the East Sea and also include historical information
regarding the "comfort women". The term "comfort women" shall
collectively refer to the acquisition of thousands of women by the
government of Japan for the sole purpose of sexual servitude for the
Imperial Japanese army during World War II.

Section 2 sets an immediate effective date and shall apply to any
              

text-books issued on and after July 1, 2014.

JUSTIFICATION:

The purpose of this legislation is to facilitate the teaching of an
unbiased and factual account of events that occurred during World War
II involving the "Comfort Women" and an acknowledgement that the Sea
of Japan should be known as the East Sea or in the alternative that
there is a dual reference to the Sea of Japan and the East Sea.

These two separate issues recognize important historical facts to many
members of the Korean community in New York state and throughout the
United States, therefore it is important to ensure these are
accurately reflected in the text books used to teach our students.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army forced thousands of
women to prostitute themselves for the benefit of the Emperor's troops
in Korea and other nations. There have been recent efforts to deny the
existence of this atrocity and to blame it on alleged "racial
conflicts" and efforts to harass the people of Japan. These attempts
to deny or minimize these historic events make it necessary to provide
an unbiased and factual account of these issues to our students. It is
also important to make sure this history is taught in light of the
increasing amount of sex trafficking that is happening within the
United States as well as throughout the world. We cannot allow the
history of the "Comfort Women" to be ignored and we must shed light on
this continuing victimization of women and men that has a long and
torturous legacy dating many thousands of years.

This bill will also facilitate an understanding that the body of water
that separates the Korean Peninsula and Japan should be known as the


"East Sea" or in the alternative that the "Sea of Japan" is also known
as the "East Sea". While the name "Sea of Japan" was introduced
sometime during the late 1920's during a time when Japan occupied
Korea, both Korea and China have referred to this same body of water
as the "East Sea" for well over 2000 years. In addition, there are
dozens of world maps predating the 19th century that refer to this
body of water as the "East Sea".

Moreover, two separate international resolutions have established the
standards of naming a sea area that is shared by multiple countries.
The International Hydrographic Organization Technical Resolution
A.4.2.6 (adopted on March 13, 1974) provided that when countries
sharing a given geographical feature do not agree on a common name,
the names used by each of the countries should be used concurrently.
This standard is confirmed by the United Nations Resolution on
Geographical Names III/20 (adopted in 1977), which further stated that
accepting only one or some of such names while excluding the rest
would be inconsistent in principle as well as inexpedient in practice.
Furthermore, the internationally established custom indicates that
seas bordering different countries should not be named after one
particular nation. Therefore, permanently changing the name to the
"East Sea" or in the alternative acknowledging a dual reference of the
"Sea of Japan" and the "East Sea" would be in full compliance with
this international principle.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any
text-books issued on and after July 1, 2014.

                                BILL NUMBER:S6599B

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring certain text-books to reference the Sea of Japan as also the
East Sea and requiring instruction on the servitude of "comfort women"
by the Imperial Japanese army

PURPOSE OF THE BILL: To facilitate the teaching of an unbiased and
factual account of events that occurred during World War II involving
the Comfort Women and to reference that the Sea of Japan is also known
as the East Sea.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends the education law by adding a section 706
which will require that any text-book approved and issued pursuant to
section seven hundred one of this article which refers to the Sea of
Japan shall change the name from Sea of Japan to the East Sea, or in
the alternative shall note that it is also referred to as the East
Sea.

Section 2 of the bill amends section 801 of the education law by
adding the following clause to the this section on courses of
instruction in patriotism and citizenship and in certain historic
documents: "the forced sexual servitude of thousands of "comfort
women" by the Imperial Japanese army during World War II".
              

Section 3 sets an effective date of the first of July next succeeding
enactment, provided that section one shall apply only to text-books
approved and issued on or after July 1, 2016.

JUSTIFICATION:  The purpose of this legislation is to facilitate the
teaching of an unbiased and factual account of events that occurred
during World War II involving the "Comfort Women" and an
acknowledgement that the Sea of Japan should be known as the East Sea
or in the alternative that there is a dual reference to the Sea of
japan and the East Sea.

These two separate issues recognize important historical facts to many
members of the Korean community in New York state and throughout the
United States, therefore it is important to ensure these are
accurately reflected in the text books used to teach our students.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army forced thousands of
women into forced sexual slavery for the benefit of the Emperor's
troops in Korea and other nations. There have been recent efforts to
deny the existence of this atrocity and to blame it on alleged "racial
conflicts" and efforts to harass the people of Japan. These attempts
to deny or minimize these historic events make it necessary to provide
an unbiased and factual account of these issues to our students. It is
also important to make sure this history is taught in light of the
increasing amount of sex trafficking that is happening within the
United States as well as throughout the world.  We cannot allow the
history of the "Comfort Women" to be ignored and we must shed light on
this continuing victimization of women and men that has a long and
torturous legacy dating many thousands of years.


This bill will also facilitate an understanding that the body of water
that separates the Korean Peninsula and Japan should be known as the
"East Sea" or in the alternative that the "Sea of Japan" is also known
as the "East Sea". While the name "Sea of Japan" was introduced
sometime during the late 1920's during a time when Japan occupied
Korea, both Korea and China have referred to this same body of water
as the "East Sea" for well over 2000 years. In addition, there are
dozens of world maps predating the 19th century that refer to this
body of water as the "East Sea".

Moreover, two separate international resolutions have established the
standards of naming a sea area that is shared by multiple countries.
The International Hydrographic Organization Technical Resolution
A.4.2.6 (adopted on March 13, 1974) provided that when countries
sharing a given geographical feature do not agree on a common name,
the names used by each of the countries should be used concurrently.
This standard is confirmed by the United Nations Resolution on
Geographical Names III/20 (adopted in 1977), which further stated that
accepting only one or some of such names while excluding the rest
would be inconsistent in principle as well as inexpedient in practice.
Furthermore, the internationally established custom indicates that
seas bordering different countries should not be named after one
particular nation. Therefore, permanently changing the name to the
"East Sea" or in the alternative acknowledging a dual reference of the
"Sea of Japan" and the "East Sea" would be in full compliance with
this international principle.

PR1OR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:  None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect on the first of July next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, except that
section one shall take effect July 1, 2016 and shall apply to
text-books approved and issued on or after such date.

                                BILL NUMBER:S6599C

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring certain text-books to reference the Sea of Japan as also the
East Sea

PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

To require that the Sea of Japan be referenced as the East Sea in
textbooks used in New York.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends the education law by adding a section 706
which will require that any text-book approved and issued pursuant to
section seven hundred one of this article which refers to the Sea of
Japan shall change the name from Sea of Japan to the East Sea, or in
the alternative shall note that it is also referred to as the East
Sea.

Section 2 of the bill sets an effective date of the July 1, 2016 and
the provisions shall apply to books approved and issued after that
date.

JUSTIFICATION:

              

This bill will facilitate an understanding that the body of water that
separates the Korean Peninsula and Japan should be known as the "East
Sea" or in the alternative that the "Sea of Japan" is also known as
the "East Sea". While the name "Sea of Japan" was introduced sometime
during the late 1920's during a time when Japan occupied Korea, both
Korea and China have referred to this same body of water as the "East
Sea" for well over 2000 years. In addition, there are dozens of world
maps predating the 19th century that refer to this body of water as
the "East Sea".

Moreover, two separate international resolutions have established the
standards of naming a sea area that is shared by multiple countries.
The International Hydrographic Organization Technical Resolution
A.4.2.6 (adopted on March 13, 1974) provided that when countries
sharing a given geographical feature do not agree on a common name,
the names used by each of the countries should be used concurrently.
This standard is confirmed by the United Nations Resolution on
Geographical Names 111/20 (adopted in 1977), which further stated that
accepting only one or some of such names while excluding the rest
would be inconsistent in principle as well as inexpedient in practice.
Furthermore, the internationally established custom indicates that
seas bordering different countries should not be named after one
particular nation. Therefore, permanently changing the name to the
"East Sea" or in the alternative acknowledging a dual reference of the
"Sea of Japan" and the "East Sea" would be in full compliance with
this international principle.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.


FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on July 1, 2016 and shall apply to
text-books approved and issued on or after such date.