Government gives textbooks to private firms

This will be interesting to follow.

Private school textbooks will be introduced from 2010, the ministry said. At present, most school textbooks are made by the state.

“The plan is designed to give schools a greater right to choose and increase the quality of school textbooks. Private textbooks will improve variety in education,” a ministry official said.

I wonder if it has come about because of the controversy over Japanese history books?