The city board of education in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, surveyed and evaluated how loud the students sang the "Kimigayo" national anthem during this year's graduation and enrollment ceremonies, board members said Sunday.

The board's survey of all 40 city-run elementary and junior high schools has prompted complaints from some local residents as to why it was carried out.

In addition to checking whether the schools hoisted the Hinomaru national flag, the board asked school principals and board members who attended such ceremonies in spring to check the volume levels, classified as either "small," "medium" or "loud," at which the anthem was sung.

The board members said six schools were classified as singing in a "small" voice during graduation, as were five schools during enrollment. These schools were given a verbal warning and told to improve their supervision of students.

According to the members, the study was carried out based on a petition submitted to the city assembly seeking thorough education in the flag and anthem.

However, following the report on the survey's findings provided Wednesday to the city assembly's committee on education and livelihood, some committee members questioned whether singing volume should have been used as a criterion.

The Kurume city board said the action was taken to see if schools are complying with the education ministry's curriculum guidelines which stipulate singing of the national anthem.

The Hinomaru and "Kimigayo" were defined by law in 1999 as the national flag and anthem. Their status is a sensitive issue as they are seen as symbols of Japan's imperial system and militarist past.

An order issued by the Tokyo education board last Oct 23, which steps up measures on enforcing the national flag display and anthem singing, has also sparked controversy. The order requires Tokyo-run schools, including schools for the disabled, to display the national flag and sing the national anthem during enrollment and graduation ceremonies. (Kyodo News)

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=300409

I support them forcing the children and teachers to respect the flag and the anthem. However I think they are taking this a little too far now...

You cant force ppl to respect something.They can sing until their hoarse, I agree you cant judge ppl on how loud they sing ,what if like half the class is shy they get punished for a personalty trait . I dont sing my national anthem I just keep silent until it over out of respect,I dont sing " unless I'm in the shower cause thats just fun"and if they tried to make me I'd say kiss my @$$.Thats what I dont like about Japanese Schools they make student scared to speak up if they dont like something,Theres a difference in standing up and not doing something because of personal beliefs and just being defiant.

They cannot force the older children with success. However the younger children just may accept it and show respect. It has to be conditioned into japan's youth. We must correct the lack of national pride. If we do not japan will continue with generation after generation of appologetic and subservient fools. This may be just the spark for that. I have moderate faith in it.




Japanese people are stupid.




Yes well you are much older. A small child will do what he is told when asked by a authority figure. If this practice of national anthem and flag continue through his school life. He will do it without question. Or he will want to do it. Then again maybe not. I think it is worth giving a try though.

Read Brave New World, it's about conditioning in a perfect society a couple centuries into the future. (Written by Aldous Huxley)

Can I asked a question?

What happened to those teachers in Tokyo University who had disobeyed the rules for not singing the national anthem?

Are they expelled immediately?

Oh, isn't that one of the famous dystopian novels? I've read 1984 and We, and they obviously deal with some similar ideas.

I think it is!