[Eric in the Ozarks]

Army Brat, Japan 1951-1961.
I never heard a Japanese kid say anything like that either.

Some years ago, my wife and I visited Pearl Harbor and took the tour of the Arizona Memorial. Motoring out to the shrine with us were a dozen Japanese young people, including several English speakers.
I asked one young woman why they were visiting the Arizona and she said, “We wanted to see what our fathers and grandfathers had done. It’s not generally known in Japan.”

[Vigilanteman]

I am guessing timing may be everything here, so a disclosure is in order. I last visited Japan in December 2016. I lived there 1988-2002. One of my daughters did have one teacher (female) who was a real piece of work and I could imagine her teaching the class very much as you describe.

This "teacher" was later transferred by the district to positions and subject matter which severely restricted her ability to proselytize children.

Thus, I am not stating Wuli's experience was impossible, merely uncommon based on my own experience and, apparently, Eric's as well. I did not actually sit in a class, merely reviewed the text books.