'Safeguard livelihood and oppose U.S. attack on Iraq': 3,000 people meet

Following the opening of the extraordinary Diet session, about 3,000 people held an emergency meeting on October 22 in Tokyo, demanding, "No attack on Iraq; No to enacting contingency legislations; and No to destroying living conditions."

The "Cut Military Expenditure and Improve Welfare and Education" of the People's Big Movement organizing committee, the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), and the Central Council for Promotion of Social Security co-sponsored this rally.

Summarizing his intensive inquiry made on the day about Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's policy speech, Japanese Communist Party chair Shii Kazuo made an address to the rally.

Shii stressed that the three trillion yen increase in medical expenses and nursing care insurance costs undertaken by the Koizumi Cabinet is aggravating the current recession. The cabinet policy of accelerating the writing-off of bad loans will cause further failures in small- and medium-sized corporations.

Referring to remarkable achievements made by JCP representatives led by House of Councilors member Ogata Yasuo through their Middle East tour, Shii stated that Koizumi must answer why he cannot express opposition to a U.S. plan to attack Iraq.

Japan's democratic forces are requested to raise their voices for settling the Iraqi issue in accordance with the U.N. Charter and drive the Koizumi Cabinet into a corner so that the wartime bill will be completely withdrawn, Shii emphasized.

Messages from the Osaka Dentist Association and the Medical Associations in Aichi and Kanagawa were introduced in the rally. After the rally, participants walked in demonstration toward the Diet Building. (end)