• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.332-347
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• 2011

This study is to analyze on territorial education described in geography textbooks in Korea and Japan. The following is the result that shows similarities and differences of the geography textbooks when it comes to territorial education. Korea and Japan have a contrasting territorial background. However, both countries start their territorial education by learning the location and shape of their country. Japanese geography textbooks focus on what people in the world think of Japan, but in case of Korea, the geography textbooks focus on how Koreans look at the world. In short, the territorial education in Japan try to emphasize Japan from the view point of the world. The next common ground is that the two countries provide territorial models in their geography textbooks in order to increase understanding. However, the Japanese students are provided with these territory models much earlier than Korean students and these models help them visualize and solidify their concept of territory. And, the two countries both put great importance on teaching territorial sea. In Japan, they try to include EEZ(Exclusive Economic Zone) in their territory. Considering these facts, it can be concluded that Japan is enlarging their concept of national territory as maritime territory. Lastly, after learning of territory the two countries both treat on territorial problems. But Korea treats passively territorial problem as such Dokdo, but Japan treats actively their territorial problems. Like that, the contents of territorial education described in geography textbooks in Korea and Japan are similar in terms of selection, but differ in quality in terms of organization. Therefore, future territorial education in Korea will be actively and successively done through succession and sequence of geography curriculum.