The Tokyo Metropolitan Government was slapped with a lawsuit Friday by 173 high school teachers who were punished for refusing to sing the national anthem at school ceremonies and claim they were treated unjustly under a directive that violates their freedom of thought.
The plaintiffs, the largest group ever involved in a lawsuit over the "Kimigayo" national anthem and Hinomaru national flag, are present and former teachers at metropolitan high schools and schools for the disabled. They demanded the metro government pay a combined 95.15 million yen in compensation and rescind penalties.
The suit contests punishments doled out based on a metro directive that made singing of the anthem at official school events obligatory. All of the plaintiffs Friday were penalized in 2004 for refusing to stand and sing "Kimigayo" or play the piano accompaniment in graduation or matriculation ceremonies.