A trial was held at the Nagoya local court on April 16 on the basis of the suit filed by students and graduates of Aichi Korean middle and high school.

They held at the trial that a fair verdict should be made, taking into consideration the feelings of the students of Korean schools who have been subject to discrimination owing to the unreasonable political reason and the historic background of Koreans in Japan including Japan's colonial rule over Korea.

Lawyer Yoshikazu Uchikawa who was heading the counsel laid bare the discriminating step taken by the Japanese government so far in the matter of applying the above-said program to Korean schools.

Such step is an encroachment upon human rights enshrined in the Japanese Constitution and it is unconstitutional, he noted.

Lawyer Akiko Yazaki referred to the historic background of Koreans in Japan, their national education and the illegality of the discrimination against Korean schools in the application of the above-said program.

For the students of Korean schools the current suit is not a mere issue of asking for money but an issue of protecting the pride and dignity as Koreans, she said.

TV installed at the court during the trial showed activities of students of Korean schools during school hours and actions conducted in demand of the application of the program.

The trial was followed by a meeting.

Prior to it, a trial was held at the Osaka local court on April 11 in demand of the repayment of subsidies to Koreans schools. The suit was filed against Osaka Prefecture and Osaka city authorities.

Present there were those concerned of Korean schools and parents of their students and Japanese citizens as observers.

Open pleadings were made by Japanese lawyers who are attorneys of Osaka Korean School at the trial.

Quoting the "results of investigation made by experts" in Osaka Prefecture, they said that Korean schools meet the norms for setting up special schools and are in line with study guidelines in education contents and requirements for graduation, etc. and it is hoped that talents would be brought up to play the role of a bridge linking Osaka and Asia through national education.

They denounced Osaka Prefecture and the Osaka city authorities for refusing to pay subsidies to the Korean school only, talking about "strictness".