From the article of 'Petrel'
No.717 / March 14, 1999

Please send us your opinion and the impression about this article without reservation.

Comminute the Maneuver to Legislate the Rising-sun Flag and the Reign of Your Majesty!

Not to Permit the Running Wild of the Nationalism
Impeach the Communist Party Giving a Boost of the Legislation!


* Hinomaru/Kimigayo:
Hinomaru is the Rising-sun Flag, "the national flag" of Japan.
Kimigayo is the Reign of your Majesty, "the national anthem" of Japan.

--------
The government of the Liberal Democratic Party began to plot "the legislation" of Hinomaru/Kimigayo. They say that the incident that the principal of the prefectural Sera High School in Hiroshima suicided with being torn between the prefectural board of education and the prefectural teacher's union about whether to hoist Hinomaru/kimigayo in unison or not in the graduation ceremony have painfully stimulated the government of the Liberal Democratic Party. Moreover, it was greatly influenced by that the Communist Party deepened the surrender line, compromise line to admit virtually Hinomaru/Kimigayo following to the Socialist Party 5 years before although attaching the condition of "when it will be legislated". The corruption and conversion of the false " reformist party" are helping exactly the government of the Liberal Democratic Party. The workers should comminute the maneuver to legislate Hinomaru/Kimigayo, and moreover should sweep away the "forcing" of Hinomaru/Kimigayo in educational spot.
--------

Hole the responsibility for "the confusion" rests with the government of the Liberal Democratic Party.

The government of the Liberal Democratic Party began to plot to legislate Hinomaru/Kimigayo by, giving the "piteous" incident of Hiroshima as an excuse.

However, how "audacious reason" it is!The cause of the "piteous" incident called the suicide of the high school principal in Hiroshima is not that Hinomaru/Kimigayo is not legislated, but that the government of the Liberal Democratic Party (the silly bureaucrats in the Ministry of Education) tried to force Hinomaru/Kimigayo (namely, the nationalism) to the educational spot, so hole the responsibility rests with them.

Hinomaru/Kimigayo has been virtually "obligated" on the spot of education since 1989 by the revision of the teaching guidelines. Just this is the direct cause of "the confusion" around Hinomaru/Kimigayo on the spot of education, and the first source brought about the principal suicide at this time. This point is too clear and the saying of the government of the Liberal Democratic Party is only a dirty sophism. Despite this, they just do not reconsider in any way, but assume a defiant attitude as to say that "the confusion" broke out just because Hinomaru/Kimigayo is not legislated and the unhappiness such as causing suicide was born. What mean and shameless fellows they are! It is just an easyn task for them to say white as black.The present national education is tore and disassembled to shleds and is pulled down to exactly such miserable one as not to be called education by the influence of the capital rule, and is becoming so increasingly.

It has been long since the place of education had become the place of competition and struggle of taking tests and for the future position and earnings.

The place of education had become, and had to become the place of sorting and discrimination under the capital.

And now, they say that the education should be put under the influence of nationalism, besides under the influence of capital only. The bourgeoisie shriek that they need to pour nationalism, in other words, the consciousness of "public" into the people because the present unthought and economism are the cause of the decadent of the people.

It is the bourgeoisie who are decadent and not the workers and "the people" general. (Who is the one to have produced the bad debts of 150 trillion yen, who is the one to be causing the nation disassembled by the debt of the state organ of hundreds trillion yen, is not the corruption of the arrested Hokkaido Takushoku Bank manager the figure of manager general of large corporation?)

Does the party who has forced unthought on the people by clamoring post-ideology up to now has the right to say that the people are unthought and the nationalism is necessary now?

We emphasize that all the cause of "the confusion" around Hinomaru/Kimigayo is on the government of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Ministry of Education. If it is justified to bring nationalism in the place of education, what is the direction such as the independence or freedom of education on earth, where the Ministry of Education are advancing now?

If it could be justified to bring nationalism, it could be more justified to bring socialism overtly because the socialism may be a more rational, progressive historical and social view in comparison with the nationalism of the bourgeoisie.

Hinomaru/Kimigayo is the slogan of imperialism, nationalism.

It is clear that the workers can not admit Hinomaru/Kimigayo. The workers stand to internationalism and never cooperate with racialism nor nationalism. The word in 'the Communist Manifesto' called "the workers do not hold any homeland" (because the workers are international existence) is the ideal and also the practical starting point of the workers even now.

It is only symbolizing and exposing the degeneration of the Communist Party to the party of racialism and nationalism, in other words, the bourgeois party that they assert that they will not deny to admit the national flag and the national anthem if it would be legislated.Moreover, Hinomaru/Kimigayo have the history covered with disgrace to have worked as the slogan of invading the nations, the races of Asia as the symbol of the reactionary, imperialistic nation of Japan at one time. Even the present nation of Japan has also corrupted completely as the nation of capital.Who are able to have "pride" to such one?

The races of the Asia who were overrun by the Japanese imperialism at one time also greatly repel Hinomaru/Kimigayo as the?symbol" of the reactionary Japanese nation and even detest it.

Moreover, Kimigayo is the song to expect the perpetuation of the era and the rule of Japanese emperor, so it dose not "symbilize" Japan of "sovereignty resides in the poeple" at all even if it is the song appropriate to Japan of the monarchism, reactionary Japan in prewar days.

The government of the Liberal Democratic Party quibbles that the Emperor system remained as the form called the symbol Emperor system even after the war, that it is written even in the Constitution as "on the basis of consensus of all the people", so the words of Kimigayo wishing for the permanent era of the emperor are never bad ones (It means to wish that the system of postwar Japan continues long time), that it is not out of place in postwar Japan.However, we are never able to deny the fact that the people ware forced Kimigayo to absolute the Emperor system, that the contents is to wish the eternal rule of the Emperor. It is too clear that it is not for the postwar "democratic" nation.

The Koumeito (the Clean Government Party) says that it is good to legislate Hinomaru/Kimigayo as national song and national anthem with putting the reconsideration of the imperialism war and even the feeling to live as a peaceful nation from now on into it.However, the subjective things "to do with the feelings" of this and that may be entirely different from that Hinomaru/Kimigayo has objectively had what kind of significance and will have from now on. To say the national song and the national anthem symbolizing "the peaceful nation" -What a nation is it? Is the present Japan with armed to the teeth (See one of the greatest armed forces in the world, the Self-Defence Forces) really a "peaceful nation"? Is the Koumeito (the Clean Government Party) seeing reality entirely? -There is no reason that it is to be Hinomaru/Kimigayo, moreover, it rather comes the conclusion that Hinomaru/Kimigayo are not adequate for that. There are also some common scholars who advocate plausible "interpretation" that the "you" called in Kimigayo is not the Emperor but is the meaning of generic "You".

However, how and what meaning was the original song may be a different thig from that in what kind of meaning it has been adoputed and sung since Meiji era.

Even if the "You" of Kimigayo means generic "You" and it is a song of hoping eternal prosperity of generic "You", why does such song have to be a national song, is there any inevitability?

In addition, the government of the Liberal Democratic Party has told overtly and clearly that the "you" in Kimigayo is the Emperor, not to say in the prewar days and even in the postwar days.

Yoshiro Mori who is the present secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party and is repeating the most reactionary and strong comment about the problem of Hinomaru/Kimigayo at this time answered to this problem as follows in the Diet as the Minister of Education 15 years ago, and it "lives" as a half official opinion still now, the bureaucrat of the Ministry of Education is also emphasizing it:
(The words is) the one hoping the prosperity of Japan having the Emperor system as a symbol. It complys with the mystery of nature and the metaphor also has the high smell of the Japanese culture. It praises the history of Japan.

They say clearly that the "You" indicates the Emperor. But they use sophistry that it is the one hoping "the prosperity of Japan" after all because it is the emperor as a symbol, and try to get the absolute Emperor system in the prewar days along with the postwar "democratic" Japan.Though the "complying with the mystery of nature" may be about the words, "Koke no musumade"(to the time the moss will grow), it is only the pleading of the reactionary position by vulgar reason.

The legislation only strengthens the extortion increasingly.

Nonaka has been repeating to pay complements as "We will not include any compulsion clauses and we do not intend to force to the people" since the annoucement of the legislation on March 2.We can easily see the dirty intention to weaken the opposite struggle.

Though it is not legislated at present, so "There is not the national discussion, any agreement of the people, any legal ground" (It is the word of Fuwa Tetuzo), Hinomaru/Kimigayo is forced completely at the spot of education. Therefore, it is entirely clear already without seeing the history of the prewar days what would come when Hinomaru/Kimigayo would once be legislated, how much the reactionaries would force the people Hinomaru/Kimigayo with utilizing this.The mass communication is reporting that there is a strong repulsion in the Liberal Democratic Party such as for what is legislation if it does not include the "obligation" and "There is no effectiveness." ('Mainiti' on March 8)

Mori emphasizes related to the legislation as "The reality giving the children such impression that they may not have the national anthem and the national flag must be changed," and the general affairs chairman Fukaya Takashi is also bawling as "the heart to love the nation will grow up by cherishing Hinomaru and by singing neatly Kimigayo." ('Asahi' March 3)

Nonaka who swears not to force is asserting himself as a reason beginning to say the legislation of Hinomaru/Kimigayo as "to give the legal basis because the incident like Hiroshima Pref. can break out if entrusting to the judgment of the spot." Why can we trust such Nonaka?

Actually, if what is carried out at the spot of education at present "is not compulsion, and we do not have made the students to sing Hinomaru/Kimigayo as a duty," it is clear that we cannot expect such Nonama's saying as "not to make singing as a duty" at all. Does the Communist Party say to trust the thoroughly deceptive words of Nonaka?The government of the Liberal Democratic Party has uttered many strings of convenient and flattering compliments even heretofore before the law was approved.They know that the laws "walk well" if the laws are approved, and they know that when they would do a fade and someone others would hold the power he would do even anything, even the compulsion of Hinomaru/Kimigayo even if they say "not to force" now. The laws "walk well".

However, if it would become so, Nonaka would not give a damn already. Nonaka has made the legislation only from "good intention", with the intention not to force, and do not care after that.

Actually, even at the present time not to be legislated, Hinomaru/Kimigayo are extorted at the spot of school, and the reactionary sects (the "influential persons" of the region, the persons of power,the reactionary Diet members of such as the Liberal Democratic Party) and the Ministry of Education have sticked to the abnomal reciprocation. Just therefore, the resistance and fight of the teachers who oppose Hinomaru/Kimigayo have developed, the suicide of the principal has broken out, or the repulsion of such students seen in Tokorozawa high school has been born.

If it is so, how can we think that the reactionaries do not make the legislation the "ground" of their maneuver to force Hinomaru/Kimigayo?It is only a nonsense, a sweet fantasy forgot the real class confrantation, political confrantaion that the Communist Party says.

We cannot permit the treachery of the Communist Party.

The Communist Party make excuses to hide the real meaning of their conversion and treachery as that they do not approve of Hinomaru/Kimigayo but of just the legislation of the national anthem, national flag.

Namely, they think that the approval of the legislation of the national anthem, national flag is not the support of the extortion of Hinomaru/Kimigayo. What a silliness or fantasy it is?

They are cheating as that the stated national anthem, national flag do not necessarily mean Hinomaru/Kimigayo because they may select and legislate a different national anthem, national flag.

However, they declare in a great hurry at once that (because they approved the legislation) if Hinomaru/Kimigayo would be legislated they would be ready to admit it as the national anthem, national flag.They say nothing but that they will "officially" approve Hinomaru/Kimigayo as the national anthem, national flag on the pretext of the legislation, because such nation without the national anthem, national flag do not really exist and is not correct even as an idea after all.The Communist Party has completely surrendered to the government of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Here is the figure of the Communist Party thoroughly fallen to "bourgeois".This party has been reduced to "bourgeois" and degenerated to the core, that is to say, they virtually approves the present class nation, and also accepts the national anthem, national flag.

The Socialist Party which had come to power 5 years ago did the mean conversion to admit Hinomaru/Kimigayo quickly and easily. It is that they stand to reason to "admit" the bourgeois nation, taht is, Hinomaru/Kimigayo because they came to power and reached the position of the ruling party with even sending a prime minister.Even the Communist Party is also going after the back of the Socialist Party in a hurry in 5 years after then. The Socialist Party necessarily has contradicted themselves, collapsed internally, and disassembled as the result of this treachery.What kind of way will the Communist Party trace, which is going after the back of the Socialist Party after 5 years? We wonder even this party also will walk the way to get ruined and disassemble personally like the Socialist Party?

Fuwa is saying that the legislation is necessary anyway (he completely agree with the government of the Liberal Democratic Party in the cognition that "confusion" breaks out on account of lacking of it), if it would becomes bad legislation they can revise it in the future, there is the way to revise it if it is legislated, but they are just extorted with anarchistic way and they have no way to correspond if it is not legislated. There is a mere complaint of the petit bourgeois who forgot to counterattack with gathering the power of the working class here. It is a plausible,but only such a vacant word that become clear its sophistic nature and deceptive nature instantly if we reconsider a little. Do you say that you are embarrsing if you are foeced Hinomaru/Kimigayo as a "Custom" although you feel constrained it as law.

Not a joke at all! The workers who stand to internationalism decisively oppose the extortion of the national anthem, national flag whether it is a "Custom" or "Law", and it is not the problem that it is bad to be a "Custom" and good to be a "Law".Fuwa may be essentially similar to assert to discard the whole fight to the repression and plundering of the capital advancing against to the workers in the form of "Law". They admit "The Law", that is to say, the bourgeois nation, namely the rule general of the capital, and surrender to it.

Fuwa says virtually that even bad law is law. That none the less it is less objectionable than there is not law. The weak-kneed "legalism", that is, the submission to the governing classes of the Communist Party is decided here.

This is the position and the practical policy of the present Communist Party. However, it may be too clear not to be able to fight by such a position and policy.

The workers will fight to the last with denouncing the tremendous opportunism of the Communist Party who says even the "bad law" is less objectionable than nothing, with opposing decisively the government of the Liberal Democratic Party maneuvering to establish the "bad law".

The position of the Communist Party saying that even bad law is less objectionable than there is not the law because it is good to change in the future is the worst opportunism and may be an open treachery to the working class.

The workers oppose decisively to the legislation of Hinomaru/Kimigayo, on the other hand, the Communist Party says not to oppose the legislation itself.

Although the position of the workers and the Communist Party have come to oppose each other outright practically now, it is only the inevitable result of the Communist Party "stood on the other side of the barricade".

Throw out the opportunism!

(Translated by Yoshi)