Statement on the Second Appeals to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Demanding the Retraction of the Unjust Punishment Involving "Hinomaru" &
"Kimigayo"
Today we, 42 teahcers, filed the second appeals against the unjust punish-
ment―an official reprimand or a wage cut ―inflicted by the Tokyo Metropolitan
Board of Education due to our refusal to stand up and sing the national anthem
"Kimigayo" at graduation ceremonies. On March 29, 9 reprimanded teachers at
school anniversary ceremonies filed similar appeals and so did 75 teachers on
April 5, followed by this time. Consequently, in total, 126 out of 206 repri-
manded teachers filed appeals. Such an unprecedentedly large number of repri-
mands of teachers violate the human rights guaranteed by the Japanese Constitu-
tion and the Fundamental Law of Education. We protest the violation from the
bottom of our heart again and demand the retraction of the unjust punishment.
Under the directive and its guidelines dated October 23 last year, issued by
the Tokyo Metropolitan Education Board, graduation ceremonies and entrance cere-
monies this year were completely extraordinary ones that should not have happen-
ed in a democratic country, needless to say. The principal of each school
threatened us teachers with severe punishments, handed out a letter of order to
each teacher and appointed the seats at the graduation ceremony. The education
board sent several inspectors to each school and forced us to stand up and sing
"Kimigayo" or play the anthem on the piano by intimidation. The ceremony cele-
brating students' graduation was transformed into a place which forced students,
their parents and teachers to stand up and sing "Kimigayo" while facing the
national flag "Hinomaru" (or "Rising Sun") hoisted at the center stage. It is
not exaggerating to say, nowadays, that schools have been changed into "prisons"
without the freedom of education and conscience guaranteed by Article 19 of the
Japanese Constitution.
Metro Education Board's "interrogations" of the teachers who had refused to
stand up for the national anthem or to play it were irresponsible because the
officials unilaterally refused to undergo the interrogations, rejecting a lawyer
sitting at the same table. The interrogations were coercive in order to speed up
the "exemplary" punishment for the coming entrance ceremonies. In addition,
annually-employed teachers were dismissed or their scheduled employment was can-
celled for refusing to stand up and sing the anthem only once. This violated
their right to earn a living. However, a curious, sloppy thing happened: Letters
of "thanks" for their long-time service were sent to them the following day.
Furthermore, the teachers whose students mostly refused to stand up for the
national anthem were summoned or interrogated for "insuffient student guidance"
and are now scheduled to be brutally reprimanded. It is an explicit challenge to
students' and parents' freedom of conscience and an interference with the educa-
tion of each school.
After Golden Week the Metro Education Board is planning to forcibly decide
to reprimand more than 40 teachers who refused to stand up for the national an-
them at entrance ceremonies. "Intimidation" and "punishment" are "non-
educational" ferocities opposite to decent education. In May, other reprimanded
teachers at graduation ceremonies, the teachers who are expected to be repri-
manded at entrance ceremonies and those who are also expected to be reprimanded
because of their students' refusal to stand up are going to file the third ap-
peals to the Tokyo government all together.
At present, under the IsJiiJiara administration, the Metropolitan Board of
Education intends to place every school on the whole under its tough rule by
means of the contemporary "Kimigayo" reprimands. It is an outrage against the
Constitution and the Fundamental Education Law and is drawing heavy, severe
criticism from parents, students and sensible citizens, as well as teachers. Our
appeals to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are not simply a struggle to pro-
tect our position and status but also to play a part in the big, national strug-
gle to protect the Constitution and the Fundamental Education Law. We declare
again that we are determined to fight for the retraction of our punishment
against the brutality of educational destruction by the Ishihara metropolitan
government and the education board.
The Organization of Reprimanded Teachers for the Retraction of the Unjust
Punishment Involving "Hinomaru" & "Kimigayo"