Teachers in Japan win suit over forced singing of anthem

TOKYO: A Japanese court ruled in favour of teachers who objected to being forced to sing the national anthem at school events, saying the Tokyo Metropolitan government's orders to do so infringed upon freedom of thought.

The surprise ruling comes as conservative lawmakers, including Shinzo Abe, poised to become prime minister next week, seek to put more patriotism into classrooms in an effort to revive a Japanese sense of identity they see as lacking in modern-day society.

The Tokyo government and its school board in 2003 issued a directive requiring high school teachers to stand facing the flag and sing the 'Kimigayo' anthem -- associated by some with wartime militarism -- or face punishment if they refused.

More than 400 teachers joined in the lawsuit, initially filed in 2004, arguing that being forced to sing the anthem violated their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of thought.  

Arguing that the teachers had a right to their beliefs, the Tokyo District Court ruled that each of them be paid 30,000 yen ($256) for the distress caused by the notice and said they need not sing the anthem.

Both the 'Kimigayo' anthem and the 'Hinomaru' national flag are seen by some as symbols of Japan's past military aggression in the 1930s and 1940s and resistance to them remains strong among some groups, especially the left-leaning teachers' union.