New chairperson fired at troubled Japan school operator where teachers went on strike

HIDAKAGAWA, Wakayama -- The chairperson of a corporation operating a west Japan high school where teachers had gone on strike over unpaid salaries and other problems has been dismissed, only a few months after his appointment in August, it was revealed on Oct. 24.

According to the lawyer representing school operator Nanryo Gakuen, based in central Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture, the corporation's chairperson Hiroyuki Iue was dismissed on Oct. 23 following a board meeting.

A series of issues had emerged at Wakayama Nanryo High School, operated by Nanryo Gakuen, such as a delay in paying assistance grants to students' guardians and overdue payments of mutual aid for private school teachers and other staff. In July, the Shizuoka Prefectural Government issued an order based on the Private Schools Act, demanding the school operator take action to deal with the issues. Iue was appointed as chairperson in August.

A trustee member was selected as the next chairperson to replace Iue, a descendant of the founding family of Sanyo Electric Co.

Regarding the reason for Iue's dismissal, the lawyer claimed, "The board members deemed Iue's words and actions following his appointment as unsuitable for a chairperson. Donations were also not paid by the promised deadline." Meanwhile, Iue told reporters, "I took measures to bring the school operator back into line, and prepared funds, so the dismissal was unexpected."

(Japanese original by Atsuhisa Kato, Wakayama Bureau)