Epoch-making ruling!: Appeal court dismissed anthem punishment for iconic activist teacher

The Tokyo High Court ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education on May 28 to retract the decision they made in the academic year 2007 that suspended NEZU Kumiko, then a teacher at a junior high school, from work for six months, reversing the earlier ruling by the Tokyo District Court. Nezu was punished for disobedience to the city’s directive obliging teachers to stand up and sing the national anthem, Kimigayo, in school ceremonies. She remained seated while Kimigayo was played during the graduation ceremony that was held on 30 March, 2007. The court also reversed the lower court’s decision regarding compensations Nezu and another ex-teacher KAWARAI Junko demanded for damages they suffered from reprimands: The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education was ordered to pay 100,000 yen to each of the plaintiffs. (The Tokyo District Court ordered the education board to revoke three-month suspension for Kawarai in the same ruling that endorsed the punishment for Nezu.)  “The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education decided the punishments mechanically, which is against the principle explained by then prime and education ministers in the Diet session discussing the national flag and national anthem bill. In addition, by mechanically escalating punishments, the board will eventually force punished teachers to choose between losing their jobs or giving up their believes. It is violation of constitutional freedom of thought and creed and, therefore, it is concluded that the defendant had given the plaintiffs significant psychological pressures and damages,” presiding Judge SUDO Noriaki clearly explained as he handed down the ruling.  As soon as the audience heard the ruling, cheers and applause arouse.  “I cannot be happier. I didn’t even dream of winning the suit. I truly feel rewarded for many years of struggle,” “Today I prepared a banner saying ‘reversal victory’ and brought it to the court just in case. I am very satisfied to be able to put up the banner proudly in front of the courthouse,” said Nezu and Kawarai respectively.  (By SATO Shigemi, member of a supporters group for Nezu, Kawarai and other teachers refusing to stand along Kimigayo)

Earlier in the same week, a group of ex-teachers also won compensation in a damage suit filed against the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education. The Tokyo District Court ruled on 25 May that the Tokyo Metropolitan government must pay 2.11 to 2.6 million yen to each of 22 former high school teachers in compensation for the damages caused by refusal by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education to rehire them after retirement. Those teachers disobeyed orders to stand and sing Kimigayo at graduation ceremonies and reprimanded before the retirement. (Based on a report by KONDO Jun’ichi, member of the association of punished teachers demanding retraction of the punishments and a plaintiff of another anthem punishment suit)

*Photo: Nezu, left, and Kawarai, right, with Kawarai’s banner in the center 

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画期的判決！勝っ たぞ！～東京高裁、根津さんの「停職6か月処分」を取り消し
 

 5 月28日、東京高裁（須藤典明裁判長）は、根津公子さんに対する2007年3月30日に出された卒業式におけ る「君が代不起立」停職6か月処分について、地裁判決を覆し処分取り消しの判決を出した。また根津、河 原井さんに対する損害賠償についても地裁判決を覆し、10万円の賠償を都 教委に課す判決を出した。須藤 裁判長は「都教委は処分を機械的に運用してきた。これは国会答弁に違反し、なおかつ被処分者は最終的 に職を失う。憲法に保障されている思想・信条を侵害することになり、控訴人に多大な精神的圧力、損害 を与えたことになる」と明確に述べた。その瞬間、傍聴席から「勝訴したんだ！」「やったー！」と拍手 が巻き起こった。根津さん「本当にうれしい。こんなことが起こるとは夢にも思わなかった。長い間闘っ てきてよかった」。河原井さん「今日、もしかしたらと思い“逆転勝訴”の垂れ幕を書いてきた。この垂れ幕 を裁判所前で誇らかに掲げることができて満足です」と語っていた。（解雇させない会・佐藤茂美） 
報告　＊ 写真＝喜びの根津公子さん（左）と河原井純子さん （右）