Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara said Friday that City Hall will appeal Thursday's 12.03 million yen district court ruling against the "Kimigayo" directive, which obliges Tokyo's teachers to sing the national anthem before the national flag at school ceremonies.
"We will appeal as a matter of course," the well-known nationalist said at a regular press conference. "The judge should see what the situation is like at places such as metropolitan high schools."
He also said punishing teachers for not obeying the directive from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government board of education was "only natural because they neglected their duties as teachers."
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