It's a question of conscience -- Akahata 'Current' column, March 23Pupils stand up and make deep bows to the "Hinomaru" (Rising sun) flag. This is the scene that the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education has been eager to see. The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports has forced public schools to put up the "Hinomaru" flag and sing "Kimigayo" at entrance and graduation ceremonies. However, this seems to be not enough to satisfy the Metropolitan Board of Education. It has gone so far as to issue detailed guidelines for conducting the ceremonies.
In the guidelines the board of education instructs public schools to "raise the national flag at the back of the stage". It also directs the master of ceremony to declare, "Sing the national anthem in unison" and have the audience stand up. "Children and pupils should be seated facing the platform," the guidelines state.
By these instructions. the board of education tries to drive home that the "Hinomaru" and "Kimigayo" must be at the center of school ceremonies. The guidelines do not allow a seating arrangement in which graduates sit facing the audience.
Before the ceremonies take place, every teacher is given a written order telling them to "stand up facing the national flag and sing the national anthem". The instructions force music teachers to play the piano in accompaniment to the song. A music teacher requested to play offstage, saying that he does not want the students to see him.
The board instructions can force teachers by orders, but not pupils. So, the board has decided to punish teachers if children fail to sing. The board remains in the background and intimidates teachers into making children sing the song. It is like a gangster world.
However, things are not going the way that the Metropolitan Board of Education desires. An increasing number of people are beginning to question the strong-arm policy and are taking action to achieve ceremonies in which children are the key players. Authoritative threats can not force people to act against their principles. (end)