The Kanagawa prefectural education board decided Feb. 4 to continue collecting the names of teachers who refuse to stand when the Kimigayo national anthem is sung in school ceremonies, board officials said.

The board's decision defies a recommendation by a prefectural panel on protection of personal information that it stop the practice.

"It's undesirable there are school staff members who don't stand to sing the anthem," said Takaichi Hikichi, head of the education board.

The education board has been ordering principals at prefecture-run high schools to report the names of teachers who refuse to stand and sing the anthem at school ceremonies since 2006.

The personal information panel determined in January that the practice is inappropriate, saying it is not legitimate or necessary to touch on such information, which falls under the category of personal beliefs and creeds.

"The education board doesn't understand the weight of the panel recommendation," said a teacher who is trying to get the order nullified. "We may resort to legal measures next."