Kyoto school operator violated political neutrality in fatal Okinawa trip

TOKYO — The operator of a private high school in Kyoto Prefecture violated the law obliging schools to maintain political neutrality during a "peace education" trip that culminated in a fatal boat accident, the education ministry said Friday.

It is the first time that the government has made such a determination under the Basic Act on Education, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The law states that schools shall refrain from political activities.

The move immediately prompted concern about the government weighing in on the political neutrality of specific educational materials provided by schools.

Some experts fear that such interventions could result in excessive caution among school administrators and teachers in determining what they can teach as part of peace education.

On March 16, two boats carrying 18 students from Doshisha International Junior and Senior High School capsized off the Henoko coastal area of Okinawa Prefecture while viewing ongoing construction work for a U.S. Marine Corps base on the shoreline.

Tomoka Takeishi, a 17-year-old female student, and Hajime Kanai, the 71-year-old captain of one of the boats, died in the accident.

The base construction has been controversial, not only for its potential environmental impact but also for the perceived burden of the island prefecture hosting the bulk of U.S. military installations in Japan.

Education minister Yohei Matsumoto said at a press conference that the tour was organized despite several teachers being aware that the boats were run by protesters against the construction of the facility.

"The school operator and the school bear the extremely heavy responsibility for a problem in governance," Matsumoto said.

He added that the school failed to explain the different points of view regarding the presence of the U.S. military in Okinawa.

The education ministry also said Friday the safety management of the school operator Doshisha was "gravely inappropriate."

In a statement, the high school said it took the matter "seriously." Meanwhile, Kyoto Gov. Takatoshi Nishiwaki suggested reducing the subsidies it receives.

Okinawa is the site of a fierce World War II ground battle in which over 200,000 military and civilian lives were lost in fighting between Japan and the United States.

The large U.S. military presence remains a significant aspect of life on the island decades after postwar U.S. rule ended in the 1970s, leaving locals concerned about safety and noise, among other issues.

Every year, many high school students visit Okinawa on school trips for "peace education," which often includes visits to memorial sites and conversations with war survivors. The deadly accident occurred during one such trip.

According to the hearing on the school by the ministry on April 24, the operator knew only the basic itinerary of the school trip and did not know the specific details.

The government on Friday filed a posthumous criminal complaint against Kanai for allegedly operating the boat without the required business registration.

The skipper had taken teachers and students on his boat on six occasions since 2023, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Some observers saw in the ministry's determination the influence of lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who take a dim view of anti-base movements.

The ministry move could "spread anxieties among teachers and potentially scale back peace education itself," one expert said.

In Okinawa, people involved in peace education expressed concern that the decision amounts to overreach by the ministry.

Gov. Denny Tamaki told reporters in Tokyo on Friday that the island prefecture will continue providing opportunities for peace education.

Meanwhile, a 76-year-old local protesting near the Henoko construction site acknowledged a failure on the part of his fellow protesters. "I feel sorry and responsible for that which I can never make amends for," he said.

© KYODO