Don't give up, come and join us to change Japan!

The young people's national network to achieve political change together with the Japanese Communist Party (Kaeru-Net) held a national exchange meeting in Tokyo on April 28.

About 850 participants, joined by JCP Chair Shii Kazuo and JCP Upper House member Ogata Yasuo, pledged to achieve a major JCP advance in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election in June and the House of Councilors election in July.

The gathering, full of inspiration, laughs, and excitement, was broadcast live using teletext via mobile phone.

The Kaeru-Net (short for the Network for Changing Japan) in cooperation with the JCP, was founded in Kyoto during the gubernatorial in 1998 by young workers and students who together called for a change in prefectural politics. Later, similar networks have started up one after another throughout the country.

Participants in the gathering exchanged experiences in Kaeru-Net activities in each prefecture.

A group of youth from Chiba reported on progress they made in their activities, which included a signature-collecting campaign and talks with fishermen, to preserve the ecologically important tidal flats (Sanbanse) at Tokyo Bay.

Shizuoka's Kaeru-Net members appeared on stage with a big hawk totem pole to report on their activities to call on residents to oppose the plan to construct an airport which may lead to the extinction of the endangered hawks.

Osaka's Democratic Youth League of Japan (DYLJ) reported on their street-rallies to let people know about JCP policy concerning young people's job security. They said they are planning to conduct a survey of 10,000 people to find out about the actual situations surrounding young workers, and will hold a symposium to discuss young workers' problems.

The young salaried-men network in Tokyo reported on their newsletter ("Poverty Journal") which describes how young people's lives are being squeezed. Every week, when they take to the streets to publicize their activities, many people crowd around them, they said.

A college student from central Japan, showing a survey conducted by his university's student council, said that about one forth of the students are forced to work part time in order to survive as students. He said he wants the JCP to make a big advance to improve the harsh environment surrounding students.

A young man in a wheel-chair called for a barrier-free Japan. He told the audience that he used to feel lonely and uneasy, but that he now has many friends and knows that his dream will become true because of them. He said he wants to make more friends to help change society.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo gave a lecture. Showing the JCP prospect to remove the Liberal Democratic Party politics, Shii spoke about job difficulties surrounding the youth. Emphasizing that struggle will pave a way, he called for movements to be further developed so that young people's hopes for jobs can be realized.

JCP House of Councilors Ogata Yasuo reported on the learning environment in Europe. He pointed out that Japanese students study under worse condition than European students, and called for cooperation between the JCP and young people to change Japan's poor academic policy. (end)