Executive Committee for the Performance of "Hanako of Tomorrow" to protect the freedom of expression at Fukui high school theater.

 

[This is what happened]

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 Fukui Prefectural High School Drama Festival (The prefectural competition for drama clubs) was held at Fukui Prefectural Hall as usual from September 18 to 20, 2021. Fukui Norin (agricultural and forestry) school drama club performed a play, "Hanako of Tomorrow," an original work. The play's story is about the growth of young girls struggling with anxiety about what would happen to the world and themselves. The play includes the problems of nuclear power plants and the issue of integrity that is an essential part of life.

 

The play was performed without an audience in 2021 since COVID-19 was raging at the time. It cannot be called a theater play if no one sees it. As Fukui Cable Television records and broadcasts the plays every year, the drama club members felt saved.

 

However, on September 20, Fukui Cable Television contacted Fukui Prefecture High School Drama League. It said, "We would like to ask for your opinion on the broadcasting of the play, "Hanako of tomorrow" by Fukui Norin High School, as it may be subject to internal deliberation." ​"We are concerned about several aspects in the play like the point where the name of a specific individual is mentioned, the way the sensitive issue of nuclear power generation is handled, and the use of a discriminatory term." The council by teachers in charge of high school drama clubs held a meeting in response to the Fukui cable TV's remarks. The conclusion of the meeting was to respect the intentions of Fukui cable Television. In other words, if the cable TV station decides not to broadcast "Hanako of tomorrow," they will follow their decision.

 

The reasons why they have come to this conclusion are as follows;

The play contains three controversial points: views on anti-nuclear power, identification of an individual name, and discriminatory term. So, Fukui Norin high school students might be blamed after the play is broadcast. Teachers are concerned about this because schools are supposed to protect students.

There is nothing wrong with performing "Hanako of Tomorrow" regardless of the method of expression; however, if it is broadcast to the general public, there could be a problem.

Genden Fureai Foundation (the public interest foundation at Fukui invested by the Japan Atomic Power Company) supports Fukui Senior High School Cultural Federation. And Fukui cable television may also be sponsored by companies related to the same foundation. If "Hanako of Tomorrow" is televised, it will adversely affect it.

 

The Executive Committee's Response

First, a discriminatory term is not used in a way that could be perceived as discriminatory, as you can see in the play. As for the names of individuals, the playwright took them directly from books in the library. As for views on anti-nuclear power, we would like to say that receiving a subsidy should not interfere in any way with the ideological direction of activities or the content of expression. We believe there has never been any case of interference in the past. That is why public organizations, like Fukui Senior High School Cultural Federation, can receive subsidies fairly and honestly.

If the content of high school theater productions must be regulated because of interference from those who provide the subsidies (and if that interference is to deny one side of an opinion), then, Fukui prefectural government that receives such support should be brought to justice. And the government should return that subsidy immediately. It is the general rule of administration.　

Suppose consideration should be given to sponsors' intentions, such as foundations and corporations. In that case, all the creators in Fukui will not be able to write plays that describe the danger of nuclear power generation in the future. In other words, themes will emerge that Fukui's high school theater should not express.

In addition, Fukui Cable Television said they would conduct an internal deliberation on whether to broadcast "Hanako of Tomorrow,"  showing the possibility of exclusion, depending on the content related to nuclear power plants. The attitude of Fukui Cable Television, which ultimately restricts freedom of expression, should be questioned. Isn't it teachers' job to protect students by arguing this way?

 

After listening to Fukui Norin Drama Club students' reactions, the council by teachers in charge of high school drama clubs had another meeting on October 8. The following three decisions have been made. It didn't take a vote on these decisions.

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​•Fukui Norin High School's play will not be broadcast on Fukui Cable Television.

•No DVDs will be made, and no recorded footage will be allowed to be viewed.

•Script books are to be recalled.

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Books containing the scripts of all the original plays performed at the Fukui Prefectural High School Drama Festival were published and distributed to the students. Teachers in charge made script books with all the efforts, but the books were recalled after the issues of "Hanako of Tomorrow" occurred. Although once books were distributed, they were taken back from the hands of the students.

 

The following opinions were given at the meeting by the School Lawyer (legal adviser employed by the school board).   

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•The anti-nuclear power claim in the play is not a problem because freedom of expression is guaranteed.

•Freedom of expression can be restricted if there is a risk of violating human rights.

•The mere use of the term "katawa" whether in a discriminatory or non-discriminatory context, will disallow the play from being shown.

 

What was discussed at the meeting by teachers in charge of high school drama clubs is unknown, as the minutes are not made public. We just heard that the lawyer's words: "the mere use of the term "katawa" will disallow the play from being shown" strongly determined the course of the meeting.

 

We asked another lawyer in the prefecture about this issue, and here is what he told us.

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•It is an impossible decision for a lawyer to say that using a specific word would immediately make it illegal. There are no lawyers who would take such a view. In addition, it is unlikely that a school lawyer would have made such a decision since sensible people are selected as school lawyers.

•If this play had discriminated against the physically challenged with the word "katawa" from the same standpoint as the former mayor of Tsuruga, it would have been a problem.  When the term is stated critically from the standpoint of anti-nuclear power, there is no sense of discrimination. Therefore, the word "katawa" is not a problem.

•It's too much to worry about what to do if complaints come in. It is doubtful that someone will complain based on just one word.

 

In other words, this issue of a discriminatory term cannot be a justification for banning the broadcast or recalling the script book explained above.

The students who performed the play were told that they might receive unwarranted criticism, making them uneasy. But afterward, they said they still wanted it to be aired. They cried out in disappointment, saying it was frustrating that the play they had been practicing was not being broadcast.

The executive committee can't help but feel the need to do something for those students who cried.

The students are hurt that their play was not considered worthy of being broadcast on television. The students are hurt that they were not trusted.

While practicing for the play, students also researched nuclear power plants and social issues. Some of them said, "I never thought about these things before. I've started thinking." We believe that is what is called "learning."

 

Suppose this kind of suppression of expression is allowed to go unchallenged in this prefecture, where an unusual string of nuclear power plants is located. In that case, it will be a step toward severe suppression for all Japanese creators and artists.  Freedom of expression is one of the most important fundamental human rights.

The three decisions agreed upon by the teachers in charge of high school drama clubs, which are abusive to the students' expression, are a hostile declaration against the fundamental human rights of all people.

If we overlook this kind of suppression now, expressions that are inconvenient to those in power, like school authorities, will continue to be suppressed and eliminated in drama club activities in the future.

There are already pressures being applied to other schools' plays. It is a dangerous move. We want this foolishness, which could leave a disgraceful record in history, to be withdrawn.

With the help of signatures from the citizens who care about the issue, we would like to have this foolish decision withdrawn. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

 

We are also planning a project to allow the Fukui high school drama club members, teachers in charge of the club, and the general public to see and enjoy "Hanako of Tomorrow."

It is an event where "Hanako of tomorrow "is performed, and afterward, there is going to be a study session; we would like to learn with the audience what kind of usage makes a certain term discriminatory and make sure that the term used in 'Hanako of tomorrow" is not discriminatory. We are currently working on arrangements for authors and experts to join us on stage.

 

Toshiro Suzue, a playwright who is a member of the speech and expression committee of the Japan Playwrights Association (Ehime resident, former professor of drama at Toho Gakuen Junior College), has joined the executive committee because he believes that this is not only a problem for high school drama but also a human rights issue for the world. After all, the right to expression has been significantly distorted.

It is a project to let everyone know about what happened. In addition, this is a project to start thinking about the ideal state of education and freedom of expression. We hope you will join us.