歌

Japan appears to have a strange relationship with its past. On the one hand, it has many traditions which are preserved to this day; on the other, it is keen to to blot out even the memory of more unsavoury events in its history. Which leaves the issue of 君が代 ('Kimi ga Yo', the Japanese national anthem) an interesting one.

Those against the anthem (and the flag, for that matter) cite it as a symbol of militarism (the word 'banzai', for example, fell out of favour after World War II) and argue that a song deifying the Emperor has no place in today's Japan. More to the point, schools are made to sing the anthem and raise the flag at certain ceremonies: does this conflict with the Japanese Constitution?

Or is the Japanese government justified in its actions? Schools are government agencies: they have the duty of teaching children how to be 'good Japanese citizens'. Besides, there's a big gap between the patriotism that comes with singing one's homeland's national anthem and chauvinism.

Even so, can the government justify suspending teachers who refuse to stand for the anthem? Authorities have punished hundreds of teachers for exercising their right to free speech (or keeping quiet, as the case may be) and this has just proved fuel for the opposition's fire.

Perhaps an 'opt-out' clause is the answer, as judges have ruled in favour of with regards to the United State's 'Pledge of Allegiance'. Loving one's country can be mutually beneficial; forced patriotism, however, is good for no one.