Japan Press Weekly

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2007 February 7 - 13 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

173 metropolitan school teachers jointly file suit against Tokyo government’s imposition of Hinomaru and Kimigayo

In the largest ever lawsuit over the Hinomaru flag and Kimigayo, 173 Tokyo metropolitan public school teachers on February 9 jointly filed a lawsuit at the Tokyo District Court seeking an annulment of the punishment the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education had imposed on them for their refusal to stand up for the Hinomaru and sing Kimigayo at school ceremonies.

The board of education in 2003 issued a directive forcing teachers to stand up for the Hinomaru and sing Kimigayo or play the piano in accompaniment. It took disciplinary actions, including reprimands and wage cuts, against a total of 229 teachers who had refused to follow the directive.

At a press conference, Hoshino Naoyuki, the plaintiffs’ co-representative, stated, “We are determined to win this suit on behalf of the 60,000 teachers who have been bullied by Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro.”

Lawyer Oyama Hiroshi stressed the significance of the lawsuit, saying “This is a pioneering struggle to defend the freedom of expression not only of students and teachers but also of the public.”

On September 21 last year, the Tokyo District Court ruled the metropolitan government’s directive as unconstitutional.