Japan's Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit Monday by a teacher reprimanded for refusing to face the flag and sing the national anthem, which unions argue praises the nation's militarist past. The 64-year-old is among dozens of teachers and other staff who ignored an edict by the Tokyo education board that they stand in front of the red-sun standard at school ceremonies and sing "Kimigayo" in praise of the emperor.
They argue the board breached the constitution - which guarantees the freedom of thought and conscience - when it verbally reprimanded them for refusing to follow the directive. The plaintiff was appealing a ruling by a lower court in 2009 that it was reasonable to ask teachers to take part in school-wide activities and found the punishments did "neither force any particular philosophy nor ban any". The former teacher ignored the order at a graduation ceremony in a Tokyo school in 2004. But supreme court presiding judge Masahiko Sudo rejected the appeal.