A co-author of a controversial Japanese history textbook which critics say glosses over the country's wartime aggression defended the book on Friday. He said...it reflects a view of history shared by many Japanese.

One of the 10 authors of the textbook Akinori Takamori, said past textbooks had taken an ingratiating attitude towards China and South Korea.

Takamori, who teaches ancient Japanese literature at Tokyo's Kokugakuin University, said in an interview with Reuters... past textbooks fawned to the historical views of China and South Korea excessively.

He said Beijing and Seoul, which have both lambasted the textbook, should accept the fact that there are people who hold different views of history from theirs.

Takamori said... it's childish for China and South Korea to get upset over a textbook which does not agree 100 percent with their historical views.