This is a weird story I came across that I figure needs a lot more attention in Tokyo. Its something that people should be talking about but its getting zero press attention.
The background is that there is a very unique school called Musashino Higashi Gakuen in the West-side of Tokyo. It has an elementary school, a junior high, and a technical college. Its key feature is that it provides support for children with autism alongside regular school students and is (as far as I know) the only school in Japan that takes this 'blended' approach, most schools for special needs students cater solely to them. It was founded with a very progressive attitude toward education and places a high value on the well-being of students above all else.
In the past couple of years there was an issue, however, in that the Vice-chairman of the school board was very unpopular with both students and teachers. The person in question, Kenzo Matsumura, a very wealthy businessman, had regularly made comments that seemed at odds with the basic principles of the school. Why was he even on the board….I've no idea, but it seems like he's wealthy enough to get what he wants when all common sense would argue otherwise. In the past year it was made clear that despite this he would become the new overall chairman. The schools teachers and parents formed a committee to oppose him (and they outline their reasons here, starting at the bottom). From what I can gather the school Principle resigned in protest at Matsumura's appointment.
Among other things that have been mentioned, Matsumura has removed rules that the board have spaces reserved for special needs education specialists (to be replaced with yes-men), he seems intent on privatizing the school in a way that will seriously impact its support for special needs students, at an information session a student voiced opposition to his plans and he screamed at her – saying that if she wasn't happy she should quit, demanding an apology, and recommending that she be expelled (the exchange left many students "sobbing in the hallways" and the students parents are now suing him for power harassment). The above link also outlines incidents of screaming harassment at parents who he felt had slighted him, and of him forcing several teachers to resign, seemingly for political reasons.
There are many other comments (for example) that seem to point to extreme bullying and intimidation of staff by a man who seems intent on destroying one of Japan's most unique alternative schools. None of it paints Matsumura in anything but a terrible light and I honestly have no idea what he hopes to gain from this, other than the possibility he saw it as a potential cash-cow where he could use its positive image as a lure for wealthier students while sidelining the actual students it was supposed to serve.
The biggest thing about this, and the reason I am posting, is that you would think Japan's sole blended-education school for children with autism seeing its students, parents, and teachers mutiny against a new Chairman would be a major news story. If so, you would be forgetting you are in Japan and the Japanese mass media are utterly spineless and impotent. Apart from the Bunshun articles above you will find practically no coverage of the story. Asahi, Yomiuri, NHK, etc… it seems like none of them could care less about the welfare or continued existence of the school. There was a story on Japanese Yahoo, briefly, before it was removed. The only place you'll see it mentioned is Twitter and the magazine like Bunshun that focus solely on scandals.
(edit to add: someone found a small story on it in the comments below from Asahi, but given how little of the details it shares, and how important a story like this should be, its meager offerings)
I'm not sure why this story bothers me so much but in way, it perfectly encapsulates a tendency in Japan for people in positions of authority to pay lip service to social equality while letting those with actual power abuse it without any fear of consequence. Like the Johnnys scandal the only way stories like this gain traction is when Western media shines a spotlight on them. Hopefully more people will begin to pay attention to it but I fear unless someone outside of Japan takes an interest, nobody inside Japan will do anything to safeguard the school's values.
by Brannagyn
