The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday rejected a lawsuit by 10 high school teachers who were denied postretirement employment after they refused to sing the national anthem during graduation ceremonies in March 2004.

The suit, filed against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which ordered all public school teachers in Tokyo to sing "Kimigayo" while facing the Hinomaru flag, had demanded a combined 30 million yen in damages.

The plaintiffs had argued that their re-employment contracts were annulled due to the metropolitan government's directive, which they said violated their freedom of speech and conscience guaranteed under the Constitution.