The board of education in the city of Sanda in western Japan has issued a notice asking municipal schools to raise flags at half mast to coincide with the July 12 funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who were held in Tokyo, and 21 of the city’s 29 public primary and junior schools. the high schools have complied, we learned.
The Sanda City Board of Education in Hyogo Prefecture revealed to the Mainichi Shimbun that it decided to make the request after the Sanda city government raised flags at half-mast at public facilities in the city on 12 July to express condolences to the slain former Prime Minister. after he was shot during a stump speech just two days before the July 10 House of Councilors election.
According to the school board and other sources, 17 elementary schools and four middle schools cooperated with the request. The municipal government had decided on July 11 to raise flags at half-mast at the town hall and other public buildings and had notified all of its services. The City Board of Education discussed the issue the following day and decided to do the same.
The school board sent the request for cooperation to all city-operated schools with the notice from the city government attached. The board did not ask the students to offer a minute of silence.
Meanwhile, the municipal government of Suita in neighboring Osaka prefecture also issued a notice on July 11 requesting that primary and secondary schools and public facilities in the city display flags at half-mast.
The city explained that the decision was “to express condolences” and that it was up to each school and facility to comply with the city’s request.
(Japanese original by Kazuhiro Doi, Takarazuka Local Bureau, and Tsuyoshi Yamada, Osaka City News Department)
