Japan Press Weekly

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2011 May 25 - 31 [EDUCATION]

Top court hands down an unfair ‘Kimigayo’ ruling

The Supreme Court on May 30 judged that an official order issued by a principal to teachers to stand up and sing “Kimigayo” at school ceremonies is “constitutional”.

This is the second such ruling after another unfair judgment in 2007 in which an order to a music teacher to accompany the singing of “Kimigayo” on the piano was regarded as “constitutional”.

A 64-year-old former teacher at a Tokyo metropolitan government-owned high school was fighting in court, claiming that rejection of his post-retirement re-employment only because he did not stand up during the singing of “Kimigayo” at a graduation ceremony was unfair.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, 23 similar cases are still pending in court.

Over the past ten years from 1999, when the law on the national anthem and flag was enacted, 693 teachers in total received disciplinary punishment in connection with “Kimigayo” or “Hinomaru”.