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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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 Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:26 am Post subject: Teachers in Japan are being severely punished for... |
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protesting against nationalism being instilled in school children.
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In Japan at War: An Oral History, Hideo Sato recalls being forced to hoist the hinomaru, the Japanese flag, in tandem with the playing of Kimigayo -- "His Majesty's Reign," the Japanese national anthem -- as a schoolchild in the 1940s. If the flag reached the top of the pole too early the teachers would beat him. More than 60 years later, he's "chagrined that they still raise the flag." [1]
Today, public school teachers in Tokyo are officially punished for refusing to stand when Kimigayo is played at school functions like graduation ceremonies. Nezu Kimiko, a teacher at a Tokyo junior high school, among other punishments, has been suspended without pay for between one and six months every year since 2003 -- and 2008's suspension, if it comes, she says, will be her last.
"This time the board will dismiss me rather than suspend me until June, when I'm scheduled to retire," Nezu says.
For most of Nezu's professional life, most schools did not play the Kimigayo or raise the hinomaru. And when schools did hold these patriotic rituals, teachers who dissented by not standing at attention for them were never punished. All that changed in 2004.
"These punishments trace back to right-wing (Tokyo) Mayor Ishihara Shintaro," says labor activist and filmmaker Matsubara Akira. "Other regions of Japan don't punish dissenting teachers, or in the rare cases that they do, the punishments don't become cumulatively more severe." For Nezu, this simple act of dissent -- refusing to stand -- has destroyed her teaching career. |
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In Against Coercion, Ouchi Hirokazu, a professor at Matsuyama University, sees a clear link between the move toward "patriotic education" and militarism.
"The meaning of the patriotism to be incorporated is clear. It is to develop people who will voluntarily follow the government's orders for war," he explains. "The imposition of Kimigayo and the hinomaru embodies the worsened education law. Therefore, resistance to Kimigayo is a struggle to refuse war efforts at school, as well as to defend the freedom of thought and conscience."
In Japan at War, World War II veteran Kobayashi Hiroyasu says, "I wonder what war is. I wonder why we did it. ... Young kids worked so hard. Without complaint. It makes me seethe." [4]
Nezu and other educators of conscience believe they have the answer. |
http://japanfocus.org/products/details/2703
Personally, I've got a lot of respect for those teachers brave enough to go against the grain, especially considering what they are up against. They're mindful of the lessons of history and are making great personal sacrifice to take this stand. I've been pretty uncomfortable with the political climate brewing in Japan in recent years. |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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It's a good article but one that leaves the idea in the readers mind that there may be some kind of rising nationalism occuring in Japan. While Ishihara is somewhat of a racist crackpot he is still only a mayor and does not, per say, form national policy.
Japan is changing radically. 10 years ago when I lived here crime was still the domain of the "foreigner". Today, you can read daily accounts of Japanese going insane in shopping malls knifing anyone they can find. People chopping up their spouses and riding the subway with the severed head in their purses.
Japan is no different from any other country when it comes to social malaise and acts of violence. What I do think has changed, is that the people in general are no longer capable of holding that perception that their country is somehow unique in the world. If you have ever lived in Japan you would understand that this is kind of a serious blow. Kind of like Canadians waking up to discover that they no longer rule the hockey world and that people are secretly laughing at the flags sewn on to their backpacks x 1,000. 
My take on the situation is that, after hundreds of years, in their own way, Japan is undergoing a kind of cultural revolution. The average person no longer believes in or can accept the fuedal mentality that is so prominent in Japanese culture and institutions. Sadly, this is still a country where the squeaky wheel does not get the grease but instead the nail that sticks up gets hammered down.
The Japanese governments reaction to this serious problem? Let's get everyone to love the flag and sing kimigayo every morning. So while it is a useless ploy, I wouldn't worry much about rising Japanese nationalism. If they continue on their current path Korea and China will have nothing to worry about. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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The comparison is not with China or South Korea, but rather the United States.
| Big_Bird wrote: |
| ...severely punished for protesting against nationalism being instilled in school children. |
This is one way to say it. However, several colleagues are Japanese grad students, earning their doctorates here. I have had several lively conversations with them regarding Korean nationalism and its hatred of the Japanese, and how this compares to Latin American nationalists like Hugo Chavez and their hatred of the United States.
We have also discussed how Japan has its share of bitterly antiJapanese intellectuals just as we have bitterly antiAmerican intellectuals here.
So what you are presenting, Big_Bird, likely has something to do with those factions in Japanese politics who take offense to this over-the-top antiJapanesism and are reacting against it. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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| I wonder how far American teachers would get it they refused to lead a pledge of allegiance or a Canadian teacher if he/she refused to sing O Canada. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| I wonder how far American teachers would get it they refused to lead a pledge of allegiance or a Canadian teacher if he/she refused to sing O Canada. |
I know professors, at the university level, who glare at the American flag in the room as if they were vampires glaring at the Holy Cross. In fact, they are the only ones who pay the things any attn. They constantly ridicule it in class, at least any time an opportunity to do so presents itself. I even once saw one mockingly put his hand over his heart and sing "God Bless America." (Although no one was laughing, he kept singing.)
No Gestapo has ever come for any of them. |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| I wonder how far American teachers would get it they refused to lead a pledge of allegiance or a Canadian teacher if he/she refused to sing O Canada. |
This is so foreign to me. In the countries (including of course the UK) in which I attended school as a kid, we never had any of this flag-hoisting, anthem-singing allegience stuff. I suppose I find it rather perculiar.
Would Canadian or American teachers be punished to the extent the Tokyo teachers were? |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher wrote: |
The comparison is not with China or South Korea, but rather the United States.
| Big_Bird wrote: |
| ...severely punished for protesting against nationalism being instilled in school children. |
This is one way to say it. However, several colleagues are Japanese grad students, earning their doctorates here. I have had several lively conversations with them regarding Korean nationalism and its hatred of the Japanese, and how this compares to Latin American nationalists like Hugo Chavez and their hatred of the United States.
We have also discussed how Japan has its share of bitterly antiJapanese intellectuals just as we have bitterly antiAmerican intellectuals here.
So what you are presenting, Big_Bird, likely has something to do with those factions in Japanese politics who take offense to this over-the-top antiJapanesism and are reacting against it. |
I've had several conversations with Japanese nationalists. I remember one particular Japanese nationalist. For several months I stayed in a mixed dormitary in China, in which there were 20 beds, usually full. I became friends with the gentle Japanese guy who slept next to me, and one day he, I and a Danish friend were sitting on my bed having a conversation about how silly some of the hostility was that my Japanese friend had to cop (although sometimes other Chinese would stand up for him and make known their disgust that he, a lone guest in their country, was being singled out for this rubbish). I made some remark which was sarcastic, but which was misunderstood as anti-Japanese by the Japanese traveller on another bed. When I left (to go to the loo) he went into a rage at my friend, calling him a traitor and all sorts of stuff. My friend calmed him down and explained that he'd totally misunderstood our conversation. The nationalist calmed down a bit, but he was full of old resentment and anger and started banging on (addressing us in English) in the most racist and nationalist manner, nearly doing his nut when he got to the topic of comfort women (all prostitiute according to him). He was horrid. He spent the next few days glaring at my Japanese friend (for his preference for hanging out with me and the Danish girl than other Japanese travellers) and walking stiffly and proudly by us, and sitting on his bed with a ramrod straight back (like he had a poker shoved up his arse) and glaring. He was the worst I met, but I've spoken with others of his ilk. Urgh.
My Japanese friend (a seasoned traveller) also reported how uncomfortable he felt when he found himself in private Japanese-language conversations with other Japanese, who often felt quite superior to the foreigners around them.
Of course not all Japanese are like this (I have to put in these disclaimers and point out the obvious to satisfy some of the silly set here) but there are enough that I feel Japan has a long way to go in dealing with this problem. Well, if you believe that rampant nationalism and a superiority complex is a problem. That's a matter of perspective I suppose.
Edited to remove ambiguity
Last edited by Big_Bird on Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:30 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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In my school, I'm Canadian, we always stood up for the national anthem in the morning. I even remember singing it, half in English and Half in French.
From grade 1 till about 3, we even recited the Lord's prayer. I was born in 74, you do the math. I think the actual singing of the anthem in class died out around grade 9, when we were all too cool for that kinda stuff.
I get a very strong feeling nowadays that even the singing of the Canadian national anthem is a little too "patriotic". For example, at a meaningless regular season Vancouver Canucks game hardly anyone will sing. Jump ahead to the playoffs, especially against and American team, and you would think the country were full of rabid nationalist ready to kill anyone suppourting the stars and stripes. Then, occassionally, we go about messing with everyone's perceptions by singing the American anthem just as well as we sing the Canadian. |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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Is anyone surprised Japan was allied with the Nazis during WW2?
Major fascist national fuelled by radical ideology.
The more things change ... |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| igotthisguitar wrote: |
Is anyone surprised Japan was allied with the Nazis during WW2?
Major fascist national fuelled by radical ideology.
The more things change ... |
LOL. I don't think people ignore you because you offer them different alternatives. People think you are crazy because no matter what the truth may be, you seem to have an agenda to push.
Was Canada a facist state when we sang Oh, Canada in school? This singing of the kimigayo is nothing more than a lame attempt to try and instill some pride in the youth of Japan in the face of a rapidly changing society.
If you actually lived here, you would know that Japan is about as far from fascist as you can get. Sure is still has some fuedalistic tendencies, but that is a far cry from being a fascist state. |
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Funkdafied
Joined: 04 Nov 2007
Location: In Da House
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher wrote: |
The comparison is not with China or South Korea, but rather the United States.
| Big_Bird wrote: |
| ...severely punished for protesting against nationalism being instilled in school children. |
This is one way to say it. However, several colleagues are Japanese grad students, earning their doctorates here. I have had several lively conversations with them regarding Korean nationalism and its hatred of the Japanese, and how this compares to Latin American nationalists like Hugo Chavez and their hatred of the United States.
We have also discussed how Japan has its share of bitterly antiJapanese intellectuals just as we have bitterly antiAmerican intellectuals here.
So what you are presenting, Big_Bird, likely has something to do with those factions in Japanese politics who take offense to this over-the-top antiJapanesism and are reacting against it. |
You've made a couple of incorrect connections here. You equate militaristic nationalism driven by a racial superiority philosophy with healthy normal patriotism. And you equate people who are anti militaristic nationalism with people who are anti Japan. They are in fact passionate patriots who want thier country to move in a healthy direction. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Funkdafied wrote: |
| They are in fact passionate patriots who want thier country to move in a healthy direction. |
I have no doubt that passionate, and very leftist, antiJapanese and/or antiAmerican intellectuals and teachers -- and their apologists on this board -- will go to great lengths to characterize themselves in this light.
As far as my "connections" being as absolutely "incorrect" as you allege, I disagree. For one thing, I would disagree with your backing their complain that singing a national anthem is a militant, aggressive act and must be "resisted."
In any case, according to my Japanese friends here, we are talking about the same kind of people who bitterly blame if not hate their own country (Japan, United States, even Britain, to cite yet another example) for all the world's evils. They are not dealing with Nazis and they are not the Maqui. They, especially Nezu Kimiko, need to learn to relax and just teach their students. Or if they want to fight for the cause, they need to retire from teaching and become Cindy Sheehan or even better: get into politics directly.
I would ask everyone here to clarify where they think a teacher's job begins and ends with respect to such issues as this... |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher wrote: |
| Funkdafied wrote: |
| They are in fact passionate patriots who want thier country to move in a healthy direction. |
I have no doubt that passionate, and very leftist, antiJapanese and/or antiAmerican intellectuals and teachers -- and their apologists on this board -- will go to great lengths to characterize themselves in this light.
As far as my "connections" being as absolutely "incorrect" as you allege, I disagree. For one thing, I would disagree with your backing their complain that singing a national anthem is a militant, aggressive act and must be "resisted."
In any case, according to my Japanese friends here, we are talking about the same kind of people who bitterly blame if not hate their own country (Japan, United States, even Britain, to cite yet another example) for all the world's evils. They are not dealing with Nazis and they are not the Maqui. They, especially Nezu Kimiko, need to learn to relax and just teach their students. Or if they want to fight for the cause, they need to retire from teaching and become Cindy Sheehan or even better: get into politics directly. |
Japanese who are conscious (or lived through) their past, are painfully aware of where blind natiionalism led them in the past. They feel they have to be vigilant and play their own part in preventing it from happening again.
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| I would ask everyone here to clarify where they think a teacher's job begins and ends with respect to such issues as this... |
Well, since WWII there's been a fair amount of criticism of those who just stood by and did nothing, until it was too late. These are people who don't want to be guilty of that. Perhaps as teachers, responsible for their young charges, they believe it's important to make a stand against young minds being brainwashed (as they see it). |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Funkdafied wrote: |
| You've made a couple of incorrect connections here. You equate militaristic nationalism driven by a racial superiority philosophy with healthy normal patriotism. And you equate people who are anti militaristic nationalism with people who are anti Japan. They are in fact passionate patriots who want thier country to move in a healthy direction. |
Yes, militaristic nationalism is what these consciencious objectors are wary of. I didn't describe my encounter with the Japanese nationalist very well - a little monster was constantly trying to climb up into the fridge to steal easter eggs and I lost track of what I was writing - and I didn't describe that aspect of it. He was very angry that Japan wasn't allowed to have a big military- that was one of the things he almost went apopleptic about.
I agree with Fundafied's point - these people aren't against their country, they're against the direction their country appears to be taking in recent years. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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"The direction their country appears to be taking in recent years...?" Is Tokyo developing and testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles? Is it invading Tibet? What is it doing that singles it out for alarm? Singing the national anthem in public schools...? They are a stable American ally and a partner in the G8 -- as well as APEC, where, last I heard, they are supporting India's admittance. They represent an important and mature member of the international community.
Singing a national anthem is neither "blind nationalism" nor brainwashing. Neither does it presage a return to a Second World War-era Japan. This position sounds more than a bit grandiose and melodramatic, Big_Bird.
These teachers hardly strike me as taking a stand to save the world from an alleged Japanese neofascism. They just learned the habit of disliking and scapegoating their homeland -- as well as the habit of characterizing those who disagree with them as right-wingers. Wonder where they learned such habits?
By the way, your "nationalist" Japanese friend is right: Japan ought to rearm. As it is American naval assets escort their oil freighters in and out of the Gulf. They ought to protect their own trade routes -- and pay their own expenses in doing so. |
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