Japan Press Weekly

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2015 May 20 - 26 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Tokyo ordered to pay 2 million yen each to ex-public high school teachers over ‘Kimigayo’ lawsuit

The Tokyo District Court on May 25 ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to pay more than two million yen in compensation to each of 25 former high school teachers whose post-retirement reemployment applications were unfairly denied on the ground that they refused to stand up and sing “Kimigayo”.

The 25 ex-teachers between 2007 and 2009 individually applied to the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education for post-retirement reemployment. The education commission, however, turned down their applications by citing their disobedience to the commission’s directive requiring public school teachers to stand up during the singing of “Kimigayo” (praising the imperial reign) at school ceremonies. In their lawsuit started in September 2009, the plaintiffs insisted that the rejection of their applications by the Tokyo government and the education board is unconstitutional.

The court ruling points out that the Tokyo board of education treated the plaintiffs’ refusal to comply with the directive as unfair and that the board disregarded their teaching experiences, skills, and careers. The court acknowledged that the education commission abused its discretionary power. It, however, gave no judgement on the directive forcing teachers to stand up and sing “Kimigayo” which was issued in 2003.

At a press conference after the ruling, a 68-year-old plaintiff said that the ruling will have a much greater impact on teachers as well as on school administrators. The plaintiffs’ group called on the education board to abide by the court order.


Past related article:
> Court dismisses ex-high school principal’s claim against unfair rejection of reemployment [January 31, 2012]