Unfair Court Ruling in Kanagawa against Teachers Who Refuse To Stand for the National Anthem

In just five seconds the Yokohama District Court on July 16 ruled that it would reject the plaintiffs’ case and its main argument. The plaintiffs who are 170 teachers in Kanagawa Prefecture have been fighting for freedom of speech for four years seeking courts to recognize that there is no legal obligation for Kanagawa teaching staff to stand for and sing the national anthem under the Constitution. On the day of the ruling, 140 teachers stood waiting outside the courts to hear the ruling as there was only 35 seats available in the auditorium. Plaintiff leader Sanrin was momentarily speechless after relaying to the crowd waiting outside that the unfair ruling was made in less than five seconds. However, he continued to say that this was definitely not the end, which was greeted with a loud applause. In Kanagawa, close to 100 teachers refuse to stand for the national anthem and are faced with legal battles every year. The defeated plaintiffs stated that that this ruling has put a brake on the battle that has been continuing for four years. (Written by M)

「わずか5秒で・・」～神奈川の「日の丸・君が代」裁判で不当判決！
「神奈川県教委の日の丸・君が代強制通知は違憲で、国歌斉唱時に起立して唱和する義務がない」ことの確認を求め、4年間争われてきた「こころの自由裁判」の判決が、7月16日横浜地裁であった。原告は、神奈川県立学校の教職員170名。この日地裁には、35席の傍聴のため140名が並んだ。判決は「主文、原告の請求を棄却する」の一言だけだった。地裁前で三輪原告団長は「わずか5秒で判決が終わってしまいました」と語ると一瞬絶句。「しかし、これで終わることは絶対にありません」と続けると支援者から大きな拍手が起きた。神奈川でも毎年100名近くの「不起立」のたたかいが続いているが、東京のような「職務命令・処分」をいまだに許していない。今回敗訴したが、「4年間やってきたこの裁判が大きな歯止めになってきた」と原告は語っていた。（M）