A group of Japanese historians and history teachers have issued a statement criticizing what they called distortions in a Japanese history textbook.

The statement said the middle school textbook under review by the Education Ministry for approval distorts historical facts.

The statement said the textbook justifies Japan's invasion of Korea and China and distorts Japan's war of aggression as war of liberation.

The statement was signed by more than eight hundred historians and history teachers.

They warned that if the Education Ministry approves the textbook for use beginning next year, Japan will fall into isolation.