1,200 people attend rally against imposition of 'Hinomaru' and 'Kimigayo' at school ceremonies

About 1,200 citizens held a rally in Tokyo on June 12 in solidarity with teachers fighting against the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education's directive forcing teachers and students to put up the "rising sun Hinomaru flag" and sing "May the emperor's reign be forever" (kimigayo song) at entrance and graduation ceremonies.

The participants demanded that the board of education review the directive issued last October under which many teachers were punished for their non-compliance.

An association calling for review of the directive and the defendants' group for ceasing abuse of administrative rights organized the rally, backed up by 124 groups.

Education journalist Saito Takao and former Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon Amaki Naoto made speeches.

A teacher who was reprimanded for failing to rise and sing 'Kimigayo' at a school ceremony stated that graduates' paintings and other artistic works that had been displayed at the graduation hall were removed and the 'national flag' put up at the back of the stage.

A graduate of a metropolitan high school said, "By urging us to stand up at ceremonies, the directive robbed high school students of their right to think about such a key issue. How can it be called 'educational'?"

A participant called for pushing a signature collection drive demanding that the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education retract the directive and punishments on teachers, and for a network to be established to stop the reckless action by the board of education under Governor Ishihara Shintaro. (end)