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hinomaru and amnesty intl 26 july 2000
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tokyo progressive
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Jan 14, 2001 00:43 PST
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Date: Jul 26 2000 22:39:02 EDT
From: "Chocopaul News" <pa-@arenson.org>
Subject: HINOMARU and Amnesty International
ChocoPaul News (CPN) Summary
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JAPANESE HINOMARU flag and KIMIGAYO song
From Amnesty International Japanese section (AI-JS) July Newsletter
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In its April Annual General Meeting, the AI-JS stated that
(summarized by CPN):
Article 19 of Japan's Constitution says that 'Freedom of thought and
conscience
shall not be violated. This is in line with the International
Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights article 18 which also says
that
no one
no-one should be forced to adopt a religion or belief system not
of his/her own free will.
Japan's National Government Organization Law also protects the people
from violation of their fundamental rights. Yet although the
National Flag, National Anthem Law enacted under the regime of the
late
Prime Minister Obuchi in 1999 does NOT contain a clause mandating
recognition of or participation in ceremonies incorporating the
Hinomaru and Kimigayo, Japan's Ministry of Education (MOE) and
local Education Committes under its juristiction have committed the
following violations of International Law and the Japanese Consti-
tution
-ordering teachers, staff and employees to conform to
MOE-determined practices relating to displaying the flag at
and singing the song at official ceremonies
-penalizing those who reject those orders
-defacto preventing students and their parents from
having and expressing views other than the official view
on the song and flag.
Amnesty International Japanese section is deeply concerned about these
violations of thought and conscience by the government of Japan
and local authorities. It urges the government to
respect international standards of human rights,
legal treaties and its own constitution (which CPN
notes is constantly under attack by conservatives
in power since the end of WWII, who use vague
arguments about the need to get rid of a
constitution written during the Occupation
or the need to 'be in tune with modern realities'
in order to try to produce a document which
would undoubtedly weaken the freedoms enshrined
in the current consitution).
Finally, AI-JS remembers that freedoms and rights
shall only be maintained through the constant
endeavours of the people themselves.
AI International WEB SITE: http://www.amnesty.org
AI-JApan SECTION http://www.amnesty.or.jp/
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