Education minister Hakubun Shimomura has asked national universities to display the Hinomaru national flag and sing "Kimigayo," the national anthem, at entrance and graduation ceremonies. Although he says he was just making a request and not a demand, it is nothing other than an attempt — coming from an authority having powers over budgets of national universities — to impose the Abe administration's nationalistic inclination on the public universities, which could threaten their autonomy and eventually academic freedom.

Shimomura's request is based on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's remark on April 9 in the Upper House's Budget Committee. Replying to a question posed by an opposition lawmaker who touched on the issue of displaying the Hinomaru and singing "Kimigayo" during ceremonies held by national universities, Abe said to the effect that because these universities operate on taxpayer money, they should display the flag and sing the anthem at such ceremonies in accordance with the Fundamental Law on Education.

Abe's remark indicates his desire to get the universities to conform to his version of nationalism. It is as if he was saying that because the government grants subsidies to national universities, it can intervene in their operations as it wishes.