The relevance of the research undertaken seems to be obvious due to the fact that recent history is a completely unique and specific phenomenon even within the framework of the historical concept, if only because it represents a completely fresh chronological cut. The methodology of research. The methodological basis of this work is the general scientific principles of the dialectical approach and historicism, the consistent application of which to the study of historical problems provides for the analysis of the processes that took place in their interconnection and development in the corresponding concrete historical context. The principle of historicism, which was the methodological basis of our work, predetermined the research methodology. The research results. Materials of textbooks of this generation (the first decade of the XXI century) are aimed at forming a general picture of the world among students. This statement seems to me indisputable, as well as the statement that with the help of textbooks the idea of the necessity and inevitability of world integration is created. Of course, the factual material is strongly linked to the pro-European logic of development. I don’t presume to assert that this is bad, all the more I don’t undertake to assert that it is good (the use of categories such as “good” and “bad” in this context is not correct, but children, due to a certain radicalism of children's judgment, will most likely come to such a dipole estimation). Therefore, it may be that the forced abstractness (generalization) of the strategic goals of our historical school education leads to an adequate answer in the form of an abstract-conditional presentation of material in textbooks (including the example of material devoted to the history of East Asian countries in recent times).

Keywords: Russian textbooks for grades 9 and 11 of educational institutions; history of East Asian countries; history of China; history of Japan; school; students; modern history.