Japan Press Weekly

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2018 March 14 - 20 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP criticizes Education Ministry for pressuring local board of education to act as informant

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Kasai Akira on March 16 criticized the Ministry of Education for putting pressure on Nagoya City's school board regarding a lecture at a public school by a former top official of the ministry who is critical of Prime Minister Abe.

Kasai held a press conference in the Diet building and commented on the fact that the Education Ministry importunately pressed the Nagoya Municipal Board of Education in Aichi Prefecture to inform the ministry of details about the lecture given last month at a Nagoya City-owned junior high school by former administrative Vice Minister of Education Maekawa Kihei.

Kasai denounced such an inquiry by the ministry as unconstitutional government intervention in school education.

Article 16 of the Basic Act on Education stipulates that "education must not be subject to improper control" and must be provided based on the Japanese Constitution.

Kasai said, "Reflecting upon Japan's prewar militarist education which mobilized children for war, this provision was implemented."

Kasai pointed out that the Supreme Court also rules as its final and binding judgement that government intervention in educational administration "should be as prudent as possible".

Reportedly, the ministry in its questioning portrayed the ex-top education bureaucrat as a bad person as he resigned over revolving door allegations but did not mention that Maekawa had accused PM Abe of distorting administration processes in order to favor his closest friend who runs the school corporation "Kake Gakuen".

Kasai said, "Undoubtedly, the ministry tried to obtain details of the talk given by its top official who spoke out against the Abe government."

Past related articles:
> Gov’t allows Abe’s friend to open veterinary school as exceptional case [November 15, 2017]
> Abe’s aide repeatedly claims ‘I don’t remember’ over Kake Gakuen scandal [July 25, 2017]
> ‘Kake Gakuen’ related-materials alluding PM pressure existed in ministry [June 17, 2017]
> JCP Kokuta : Diet should summon PM’s aide and ex-Vice Education Minister over ‘Kake Gakuen’ scandal [June 1, 2017]
> Ex-Education Ministry bureaucrat: PM Abe’s aide exerts pressure to open veterinary school [May 31, 20177]
> 4 opposition parties jointly demand summoning of ex-administrative head of Education Ministry [May 27, 2017]
> Ex-Vice Minister of Education: Documents are genuine [May 26, 2017]