education

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

LDP and Komei agree to include 'patriotism' in education law

A panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties on revising the Fundamental Law of Education met on April 12 and agreed on a draft that includes in its preamble the concept of "patriotism" defined as "love of the nation and homeland." With this, the government and the ruling parties are set to submit a bill to revise the Fundamental Law of Education in the current Diet session.

Inserting the notion of "patriotism" will inevitably draw severe criticisms as a step that reminds the public of past militarism and as a violation of the freedom of conscience.

The Komei Party said that it agreed with the LDP on "patriotism" because the two parties confirmed that the concept of "nation" does not include "governing structures" and that respect for other countries and the international community is upheld. However, legal provisions for "love," the state of the mind of individuals, amounts to infringing on conscience.

Defining patriotism as a purpose of education will pave the way to controlling teachers and students by using arbitrary measures and assessments of achievement. There is deep concern that the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education's way of forcing teachers and students to show respect to the "Hinomaru" (Rising Sun) flag and sing "Kimigayo" (May the Imperial Reign Be Forever) will become a national practice.

Adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education has various aims: the nationalistic aim of emphasizing patriotism and morality; the neo-liberalistic aim of "vitalizing" education through competition and external assessment, and the government aim to strengthen its control over education.

Adverse revision of the basic education law is what the LDP has long contemplated along with adverse revision of the Constitution as a step toward turning Japan into a war-fighting country.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe Shinzo said that people should cultivate their readiness to fight in order to defend their families and the nation.

The moves to adversely revise the education law overturns the principle of enacting this law and go against the wishes of the people that every child must be respected as an individual.

The Fundamental Law of Education was enacted in 1947 to realize the constitutional ideals of peace and democracy. It is based on self-criticism of the prewar education system that supported militarism by defining the public as subjects of the emperor (Tenno). It defines that the objective of education is in the perfection of diverse personalities of individuals.
- Akahata, April 13, 2006