Japan Press Weekly

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2015 July 1 - 7 [POLITICS]

Professors call for protecting academic freedom

In protest against the Abe government forcing national universities to hoist the “Hinomaru” (the rising-sun flag) and sing the “Kimigayo” (the song praising Japan’s imperial reign) at their official events, a symposium took place on July 4 at the University of Tokyo with about 500 people participating.

In mid-June, education minister Shimomura Hakubun made a “request” to the presidents of all the 86 national universities in the country that they raise the Hinomaru flag at entrance and graduation ceremonies as well as have attendees sing the Kimigayo song in unison.

In that symposium, Tokyo University Professor Ishikawa Kenji noted that the minister’s “request” goes against Article 23 of the Japanese Constitution that guarantees academic freedom. Referring to the fact that before World War II, the Imperial government oppressed a state-run university professor for advancing the theory that the Emperor is just an organ of the state, Ishikawa called for taking action to protect academic and educational freedom.

Kwansei Gakuin University Professor Hashimoto Shinya criticized the central government for trying to force the two main symbols of Japan’s war of aggression on national universities, along with public elementary, junior high, and high schools. He stressed that scholars and researchers have the responsibility to defend university autonomy from state intervention.

Hosei University Professor Yamaguchi Jiro pointed out that the Abe administration has resorted to various measures to bias university studies in favor of state policies. “That would lead to denying the pursuit of knowledge,” he warned.

Past related article:
> Imposition of ‘Hinomaru’ and ‘Kimigayo’ on national universities is just the beginning of gov’t interference: scholar [June 17, 2015]