The Japan Teachers' Union (Nikkyoso) has been holding an annual large-scale event since 1951 in which teachers from across the country share their experiences and discuss wide-ranging issues such as children's aptitudes, teaching methods, gaps in education opportunities, bullying, etc. But for the first time in the history of this annual event, Nikkyoso was forced to give up holding a plenary meeting that an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 teachers were to attend. It did manage to hold smaller meetings.
That's because a Tokyo hotel canceled a contract to let Nikkyoso use a large room and defied a court order that the hotel honor the contract. The hotel cited the fear that rightist groups might carry out a large-scale street protest against the Nikkyoso meeting, causing inconvenience and safety problems to other hotel guests and neighbors. The hotel's act could undermine the constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom of assembly and speech as well as set a bad precedent that would encourage other members of society to ignore a court order.
In November, Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa told Nikkyoso that it was canceling a May 2007 contract for use of the room, citing expected massive protest activities against Nikkyoso by rightist groups, including the use of many vehicles mounted with blaring public address systems.