The Tokyo High Court on Friday upheld a lower court rejection of a demand that former Tokyo Gov. Shunichi Suzuki and three other metropolitan government officials refund 51 million yen spent in connection with Emperor Akihito's ascension ceremonies in 1990.

The high court dismissed the appeal filed by 58 Tokyo residents who argued that the four violated the constitutional separation of religion and state, since part of the ceremonies involved Shinto rituals.

The plaintiffs plan to appeal.

The Daijosai ceremony and other events were held to mark Emperor Akihito's ascension to the throne after the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, in January 1989.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government spent the money when then Gov. Suzuki attended the ceremonies as the representative of prefectural governments nationwide.

It was used to pay for various expenses, including a gift for the Emperor, the metropolitan government's own ceremony to celebrate the event and flower decorations lining Tokyo streets.

The plaintiffs had filed the appeal with the high court after the Tokyo District Court ruled in 1999 that Suzuki attended the ceremonies as an expression of congratulations and courtesy and his actions did not violate the Constitution.

In Friday's ruling, presiding Judge Tomonori Sagara said the Daijosai was an Imperial family function based on the "private beliefs of either the Emperor himself or the Imperial family."

Therefore, the judge went on, government spending on the event "entails problems that must be examined in relation to Article 89 of the Constitution."

The article in question states that: "No public money or other property shall be expended or appropriated for use, benefit, or maintenance of any religious institution or association."