JAPAN: Tokyo's education authorities have ordered head teachers across the capital to make sure students stand to attention and sing the Kimigayo (Japan's national anthem). The move follows protests by students and teachers since Japan made standing for the anthem compulsory in 1999.
The directive, issued by the city's board of education to the heads of public primary and secondary schools, says students should be taught to "show respect" for the Kimigayo, a hymn to the emperor whose title means "his majesty's reign", and for the Hinomaru or "rising sun" flag.
"Principals must thoroughly ensure all school personnel give appropriate instructions to all students based on official curriculum guidelines," an official said.
Hundreds of teachers across Japan have been disciplined in the last six years for refusing to obey the law by remaining seated, wearing peace ribbons, or feigning sickness to avoid school ceremonies. Many teachers in this pacifist country resent being forced to stand to attention for symbols they associate with Japan's militarist past.
Over 300 public school teachers in the capital are currently suing the Tokyo educational board to reverse the directive, which they say is unconstitutional. "If Germany did this, they would call it what it is: Naziism," said teacher Eishun Nagai.
Ministry of education guidelines specify that teachers who ignore orders by principles to stand and sing will be punished. Officials in Tokyo, which has taken the hardest line on the issue under nationalist governor Shintaro Ishihara, have been dispatched to school ceremonies to ensure the flag is displayed prominently and the anthem sung with sufficient gusto.
In one case, music teacher Sato Miwako sued the government after she was suspended for refusing to play the anthem on her piano. Sato, a committed Christian, said the 1999 directive was unbelievable and when she heard she had to play the song, "it was as if my life was being crushed". In 2004, retired teacher Katsuhisa Fujita was arrested after he hectored parents to stay seated for the anthem during a graduation ceremony.
Tokyo alone has handed out warnings, suspensions, pay-cuts and sackings to more than 300 education staff for anthem-related offences since 2003 but the number of protesters has plummeted in the wake of the tougher measures. Only 50 people were disciplined last year and the figure is expected to fall further this year.
The anthem and flag law was introduced by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's government to restore symbols tainted by Japan's wartime past to the centre of national life, but it immediately ran into opposition from the teaching profession.