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日本教師が反戦行動での停職処分に抗議　6月8日・レイバーネット米国
Japanese Teacher Protests Suspension Over Anti-War Action

Special To Labornet
www.labornet.org

June 8, 2005

During a recent graduation ceremony, Kimiko Nezu from the Tokyo Metropolitan School #2 Tachikawa Jr. school refused to stand up for the singing of the national anthem. She was later suspended on May 31, 2005 for one month for her silent protest. Behind her protest is a growing drive to militarize Japanese society and repress anti-war activists like Kimiko Nezu who are opposed to the the militization of Japan.

Tokyo governor Ishiwara is one of the politicians who have built their careers on reviving nationalism and attacking immigrants. He has supported rewriting the textbooks of Japan to eliminate mention of the war time atrocities of Japanese imperial troops in China, Korea and the Philippines. Ishikawa has also pushed the Tokyo school system to punish any teacher that opposes these new militarist policies and the suspension of Kimiko is an example of the result of these new policies. In her case however, she did not take the suspension in silence and instead used this retaliation as an opportunity to educate people in the community, the students and other teachers about why she refused to stand up during the song. She decided to stand in front of the school gate every day with a placard protesting the suspension. At the first day of the suspension some students asked what was going on and when they learned what had happened, they offered her their support.

She also spoke at a morning meeting of the teachers at the school but was ordered out of the school by the principal. Her placard which said "I was suspended for 1 month for refusing to stand up- Was anybody hurt by this action - I cannot obey an order that I believe is wrong"

She was able to discuss with many students during her daily protest in front of the school. One student said she would like to be able to "stand up" like I have done reported Kimiko.

This important teacher protest against the growing militarization in Japan should be supported by teachers and other trade unionists around the world by passing resolutions in support of her action and also by sending statements of solidarity to this anti-war activist.

http://www.labornetjp.org/Image/20050531nezu/view

http://www.labornetjp.org/NewsItem/20050528m2/

You can send these solidarity statements in English to
labornet@labornet.org