Court rules that teachers don't have to sing national anthem

The Tokyo District Court ruled Thursday that teachers and librarians are not obliged to sing the Kimigayo national anthem at school events despite Tokyo authorities' instruction to do so. Judge Koichi Namba said the Tokyo metropolitan government and its education board's notice to force teachers to sing Kimigayo in front of the Japanese flag infringes on freedom of thought and is against the basic education law.

'I can't believe we got such a great ruling from the court. I am really glad that I fought through the adversity,' said Ayako Kawaguchi, 48, a teacher who says her colleagues were reprimanded for refusing to sing Kimigayo at their school. The suit was filed by 401 incumbent and former teachers and librarians against the metropolitan government and its education board after they issued a notice in October 2003 demanding that public school employees stand and sing the national anthem in front of the Japanese flag during entrance and graduation ceremonies at schools."