Miwako Sato, a public elementary school teacher in the western Tokyo suburb of Kunitachi, may file a lawsuit early next year over the use of the controversial national flag and anthem in schools.
The city board of education served her and several colleagues a written warning three years ago when they wore tiny plain blue ribbons at the March 2000 school commencement to express their opposition to displaying the Hinomaru flag at the ceremony.
"Many people in other Asian countries do not want to look at the flag, the symbol of Japanese occupation of their lands, even 60 years after World War II, and I believe its coercive display at school ceremonies is against our Constitution," she said.