education

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

Diet begins discussing bill to allow government to control education

At its plenary session on May 16, the House of Representatives began discussing a government bill to adversely revise the Fundamental Law of Education, a bill that will allow the government to control and meddle in education in complete disregard of the democratic principles established in the basic law.

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ishii Ikuko in her questioning on behalf of the JCP said, "We firmly oppose the adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education which was enacted on the basis of the remorse for Japan's war of aggression and is inseparable from the Constitution."

Ishii said that the present Fundamental Law of Education has played a significant role in building a peaceful and democratic society after World War II and in ensuring that children's rights to receive education are defended and their personality fully developed. Ishii criticized the government for failing to explain why this basic law should be amended now.

Ishii also pointed out that the government bill infringes on the constitutional freedom of thought and conscience by specifying patriotism and other moral values in the revised basic law and requiring schools and teachers to implement them.

Ishii said that the present basic law restricts the state's responsibility in education to the "adjustment and establishment of the various conditions required for the pursuit of the aim of education." She said that changing this provision into one of allowing the government to control and interfere with the contents of education amount to violating the constitutional principle of democracy.

In the Lower House plenary session, opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Japan that supports revising the Fundamental Law of Education, opposed enacting the government bill in the current Diet session. DPJ Secretary-general Hatoyama Yukio criticized the government for submitting the bill in the final days of the current session of the Diet in disregard of public opinion. He said that the government should resubmit the bill on education after discussing how a new Constitution should be introduced.
- Akahata, May 17, 2006