10/5 International Day Of Action To Defend Anti-War Japanese Teachers

On October 5, 2007 is International Teachers Day and teachers and anti-war activists
throughout the world will be protesting the repression of Japanese anti-war teachers who
have been harrassed and are threatened with being fired for refusing to support the
militarization of the schools.

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International Day Of Action To Defend Anti-War Japanese Teachers
All Out On Friday October 5, 2007
Stop Firings and Repression Of Japanese Teachers Who Oppose War
Over 1700 Japanese teachers have been punished and harassed for refusing to sing nationalist pro-war songs during graduation ceremonies throughout Japan's schools. In Tokyo alone, 388 teachers were subject to heavy punishment after 2004.
The effort to censor education books about the war crimes of Japan imperial government is part and parcel of the effort to remililtarize the schools and eliminate Article 9 of the Japanese constitution which prohibits war.
October 5 is celebrated internationally every year as World Teachers Day to defend teachers and oppose attacks on education and teachers. On this October 5, 2007, there will be delegations of teachers and community activists from around the world who will go to Japanese consulates and embassies to call for an end to the repression against Japanese anti-war teachers, against censoring Japanese school books and also against changing Article 9 of the Japanese constitution which prohibits war.
The US government has also played a key role in encouraging Japan to send it’s troops to the Middle East and also many US politicians go to Japan and urge it to militarize and ignore Article 9. In fact, former Japanese prime minister Nakasone who also privatized the railroads in order to break the militant rail unions in Japan said he wanted Japan to be a "aircraft carrier" for the United States.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education under pressure from the racist and nationalist Tokyo governor Ishihara has moved toward firing teachers Ms NEZU Kimiko and Ms KAWARAI Junko for their anti-war activity unless people around the world stand up to this repression. This repression and militarization is a threat to all people of the world and we urge educators, unionists, people from all communities and anti-war activists to join us on October 5, 2007.

San Francisco Picket and Delegation To Japanese Consulate
Friday October 5, 2007 4:00 PM
50 Fremont St/Mission San Francisco

For information or if you would like to endorse please contact
Committee To Defend Japanese Anti-War Teachers
(415)867-0628 lvpsf [at] labornet.org
Endorsed by International Committee To Defend Anti-War Japanese Teachers, Doro-Chiba, Transport Workers Solidarity Committee and others
http://vpress.la.coocan.jp/ http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070717i1.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070720a7.html
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Japan-Forced-Suicide.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Resolution To Defend Japanese Teachers Opposed To Militarization

Whereas, the Japanese people have a long history of opposition to war and Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution which prohibits Japan from developing a growing military force and militarized society along with a militarized education system and,

Whereas, the cost of war has been catastrophic for the Japanese people, the youth and education workers as well as all the people of Asia and,

Whereas, the growing drive for militarization has led to the re-writing of history books to censor the role of Japan in the 2nd WW which included acts of the use of slave labor including sex slaves in order to justify Japanese militarism and,

Whereas, the US government has encouraged Japan to violate Article 9 and to use it's military in wars in the Iraq, expansion of US bases in Japan for greater Japanese military activity in the middle east despite this constitutional clause and,

Whereas, the US government has supported the elimination of this anti-war Article 9 in the Japanese constitution in order to allow further militarization of Japan and,

Whereas, the Japanese government has railroaded the legislation of National Referendum Law to eliminate Article 9, which prohibits teachers and public workers from any movement against amending the Constitution and,

Whereas, this increased funding of the military has meant a lower funding priority for teachers and the educational system of Japan and,

Whereas, more than 1500 Japanese teachers have been punished and harassed for refusing to stand up in front of the national flag "Hinomaru" and for refusing to sing the national anthem "Kimigayo" or play the piano accompaniment in graduation & matriculation ceremonies and other school ceremonies and,

Whereas, these demands and directives instituted in the education system have unjustly violated their freedom of thought along with their freedom of conscience and,

Therefore, be it resolved this union protests the retaliation and discrimination against Japanese teachers for refusing to stand up in front of the national flag "Hinomaru" and for refusing to sing the national anthem "Kimigayo" or play the piano accompaniment in graduation & matriculation ceremonies and other school ceremonies and this union and this organization will send letters of protest of these policies and to call for their removal and,

This union calls on the Japanese and Tokyo government to stop the punishment and possible firings of Japanese teachers and act b by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education against sisters Nezu and Kawarai and,

The organization supports the rights of Japanese teachers and all public employees to lobby against any proposed changes in the Japanese constitution and,

The organization will send this statement to the Japanese Embassy and will send a union delegation to meet with the Ambassador to outline our concerns and,

The organization will send a delegation of teachers to Japan to make an investigation of the growing danger of militarization of the Japanese education system with a report back to the next state fed convention of this and,

The organization calls on all US Congressional and government officials to oppose the change of the Japanese Constitution Article 9 which prevents the militarization of Japan and finally,

This (local or council)will send this resolution to the education unions of Japan and Education International for concurrence and to focus International Teachers Day on October 5, 2007 in support of the rights of Japanese teachers to lobby against the changes of the Japanese constitution and against repression for their refusal to stand and participate in the Hinomaru and sing the Kimigayo and finally,

This local will support actions and delegations to go to Japanese consulates and embassies around the world on October 5, 2005 to show our support for anti-war activist teachers and to oppose the militarization of Japan and will ask for concurrence by all affiliated bodies.