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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP chair: Ruling parties' proposal will undermine education law's democratic principles

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo held a news conference in the Diet on April 13 to comment on the final report released by the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties calling for adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education:

With the ruling parties reaching agreement on a draft revision, the issue of the Fundamental Law of Education has entered a critical stage. The proposed revision involves two serious problems that undermine the democratic principle of the present Fundamental Law of Education.

One is that it advocates "love of the nation and homeland" as an aim of education.

By nature, patriotism should be left to each citizen's opinion and to the society's volition. Enforcing a law to impose specific ways of practicing patriotism on the public will be an infringement on the freedom of conscience.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is forcing students and teachers to sing "Kimigayo" (May the Imperial Reign Be Forever) in violation of the freedom of conscience. The proposed revision will authorize this outrageous action.

The other point is that it allows state power to heavily intervene in education.

Article 10 of the present Fundamental Law of Education states, "Education shall not be subject to improper control, but it shall be directly responsible to the whole people." This provision bans the state from meddling with the contents of education and restricts administrative power to exercising responsibility to improve conditions for education. This provision is a product of the bitter remorse over the prewar system of education and is the centerpiece of the Fundamental Law of Education.

The proposed revision put forward by the ruling parties guts this principle. It is particularly serious that the draft calls for a provision that requires the state to formulate a "basic plan for the promotion of education." Such a revision will give the government a foothold to meddle with education as much as it wants.

The ruling parties are calling for the adverse revision of the law in order to change the aim of education from one of promoting "the full development of the personality" of every child as an individual to one of bringing up people as members of a "war-fighting Japan" in line with the adverse revision of the Constitution.

The JCP firmly opposes the bill to revise the Fundamental Law of Education being submitted to the Diet.

The JCP will do its utmost to develop a nationwide struggle against an adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education so that it can unite with the struggle against an adverse revision of the Constitution.
- Akahata, April 14, 2006