TOKYO (AFP) - A Japanese court on Tuesday fined a retired teacher 200,000 yen (1,800 dollars) for disrespecting the national anthem, which liberals associate with World War II militarism.

It is the first known time that a court has punished a teacher over the anthem, although the Tokyo metropolitan education board has disciplined 345 teachers for refusing orders to honor it, a board official said.

Katsuhisa Fujita, 65, delayed a graduation ceremony by two minutes in March 2004 by urging the audience to stay seated during the national anthem.

The anthem, "Kimigayo," or "His Majesty's Reign," praises the emperor. Critics say it harks back to the militarism under late Emperor Hirohito, who was considered divine during World War II.

"It is clear that there was concern that the defendant's behavior may have negatively impacted the smooth running of the ceremony," Judge Hitoshi Murase of the Tokyo District Court said in handing down the fine.

But he refused prosecutors' demands to imprison Fujita for eight months.

"Considering the actual interruption in the ceremony was short, it is not appropriate to order imprisonment," said the judge, as quoted by Jiji Press.

Fujita, who had retired before the incident, said he was practicing his right to free speech.

"I regard the 200,000-yen fine as opposed to eight months in prison as a de facto acquittal. I will appeal the ruling, though," he told reporters.

The Tokyo municipality, which is led by outspoken nationalist Governor Shintaro Ishihara, in October 2003 ordered public school teachers to stand up for the national anthem at entrance and graduation ceremonies. According to the verdict, Fujita shouted at parents of graduating high school students: "Today we have an extraordinary ceremony and teachers will be punished if they don't stand and sing the national anthem. Please stay seated on your chairs when singing."

When senior colleagues tried to stop him, Fujita told them, "Don't touch me. Why are you trying to push me out?" The ceremony resumed after he was forced out of the room.

Japan has gradually been adopting symbols of patriotism it shunned after World War II, causing concern in neighboring countries invaded by imperial Tokyo.