Kyoto cuts subsidy to Doshisha International High over Henoko boat capsizing
In short
Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki (西脇隆俊) announced on the 9th that the prefecture will cut this fiscal year's private school operating subsidy to Doshisha International High School by 25% and seek the return of 50% of last year's already-paid subsidy. The move follows the capsizing in March of two small boats off Henoko in Nago, Okinawa, during a school trip, in which a female student and a boat captain died. Sankei Shimbun reported the prefecture is seeking ¥104,180,500 back and expects the current-year cut to be about ¥50 million.
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Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki (西脇隆俊) announced on the 9th that the prefecture will reduce this fiscal year's private school operating subsidy to Doshisha International High School, in Kyotanabe, Kyoto Prefecture, by 25%. It will also seek the return of 50% of last fiscal year's subsidy, which has already been paid. Sankei Shimbun reported that the governor set out the decision at his regular press conference, and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reported that the prefecture described the repayment as an order. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
According to the prefecture, the school has received about ¥200 million a year in subsidies. Sankei reported that the prefecture is asking the school to return ¥104,180,500 for the fiscal year in which the accident occurred and expects the current-year reduction to be about ¥50 million. The Asahi Shimbun reported that it is unusual for the prefecture to cut a subsidy to a private high school. Nishi-Nippon reported that the prefecture gave as its reason that safety management had lacked appropriateness. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
The prefecture's subsidy guidelines allow it to reduce or withhold subsidies when a school or its operating school corporation violates laws or is markedly lacking in proper management, according to Sankei and Nishi-Nippon. The Asahi Shimbun reported that the decision followed the submission on the 2nd by the school and the Doshisha school corporation of a revised crisis management manual and a plan to prevent a recurrence, which the prefecture had requested. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
The accident occurred in March, when two small boats capsized off Henoko in Nago, Okinawa, while students were on a school trip that included peace studies. The boats had been used in protests by a civic group opposing the relocation of the US military's Futenma Air Station to Henoko. A female student and a boat captain died and a total of 14 people were injured, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Sankei named the student as Tomoka Takeishi (武石知華), a second-year student who was 17 at the time. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
In May the prefecture published the results of its investigation, saying the school's safety management had been "markedly lacking in appropriateness" in light of laws and regulations. It also said that putting students on a boat used for protests, and insufficient study of differing views on the relocation work, ran counter to the Basic Act on Education, which sets out the political neutrality of education, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Nishiwaki had said it was "clear" that various laws had been violated. Sankei reported that a special investigation committee set up by the Doshisha school corporation had pointed to a lack of safety awareness on the trip and the absence of a crisis management manual for off-campus activities. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The Asahi Shimbun reported that it is unusual for Kyoto Prefecture to reduce a subsidy to a private high school. The school has received about ¥200 million a year from the prefecture, so the penalty affects a substantial part of that funding.
Key facts
- Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki announced on the 9th a 25% cut to this fiscal year's private school operating subsidy to Doshisha International High School. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The prefecture will also seek the return of 50% of last fiscal year's subsidy, which has already been paid. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Sankei reported the prefecture is seeking ¥104,180,500 back and expects this year's cut to be about ¥50 million. [ 2 ]
- The school has received about ¥200 million a year in subsidies from the prefecture, according to the prefecture. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- Two small boats capsized off Henoko in Nago, Okinawa, in March; a female student and a boat captain died and 14 people were injured. [ 1 , 5 ]
- The boats had been used in protests by a civic group opposing the relocation of the US military's Futenma Air Station to Henoko. [ 1 , 5 ]
- The prefecture's subsidy guidelines allow a reduction where there is a legal violation or a marked lack of proper management. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kyoto Prefecture will cut this fiscal year's operating subsidy to Doshisha International High School by 25%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The prefecture will seek the return of 50% of last fiscal year's subsidy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The school has received about ¥200 million a year in prefectural subsidies. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Two people, including a female student, died when two boats capsized off Henoko in Nago, Okinawa. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The subsidy guidelines allow reductions for legal violations or a marked lack of proper management. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The exact size of this fiscal year's reduction. Only Sankei gives a figure, and describes it as an estimate of about ¥50 million.
- How the school and the Doshisha school corporation responded to the subsidy decision. None of the documents report a response from the school.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Asahi Shimbun reports the subsidy cut and repayment demand. [ 1 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reports the repayment amount of ¥104,180,500. [ 2 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reports the decision announced at the governor's press conference. [ 3 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun runs the headline on the subsidy reduction. [ 4 ]
- Yahoo! News Japan carries the report. [ 5 ]