November 6, 2016
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2016 November 2 - 8 [POLITICS]
Teachers rally to oppose constitutional revision and political control over education |
The rally was organized by the All Japan Teachers and Staffs Union (Zenkyo) and civil groups working for children’s rights and better education policy.
On behalf of the organizers, Zenkyo Chair Kanisawa Shozo delivered a speech. Kanisawa pointed out that in addition to the pacifist Constitution, people’s right to human dignity is facing a threat. He stressed the need to increase public support for the call to defend the Constitution.
Activists of Zenkyo and civil groups took to the stage and talked about their activities which include efforts to block the use of school textbooks glorifying Japan’s past war of aggression, object to constitutional revision, and protect school education from political control.
Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira gave a speech in solidarity. Koike noted that the Liberal Democratic Party on its website encouraged the general public to report about teachers’ political activities under the guise of conducting a survey on political neutrality. Koike criticized the LDP for violating people’s right to freedom of thought, belief, and expression. He expressed his determination to work harder to abolish the war laws and hamper the LDP’s attempt to change the Constitution.
Messages from Liberal Party leader Ozawa Ichiro and Okinawa-elected Upper House member Itokazu Keiko were read out at the rally.
After the rally, participants marched in demonstration through Tokyo’s famous shopping district of Ginza by holding placards that read, “The government should stop interfering in school education!” “Don’t implement the war laws!”
Past related article:
> LDP criticized for encouraging people to denounce teachers under guise of survey on neutrality in education [July 10, 2016]
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