600 citizens attend rally against wartime bills

About 600 citizens, including members of labor unions and religious groups, on April 16 jointly held a sit-in in front of the Diet building in protest against the contingency legislation that the governing parties are aiming to enact as quickly as possible.

Addressing the protesters, National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) President Kumagai Kanemichi denounced the government for trying to justify the wartime legislation by insisting that a "threat" needs to be dealt with. "The real threat to the world is the United States, which ignored the U.N. framework and started the Iraq war," he said.

Kumagai called on the participants to increase the struggle to block the wartime bills and prevent Japan from being a threat to Asia.

Kodama Kenji, Japanese Communist Party House of Representative member, and Social Democratic Party Upper House member Mataichi Seiji addressed the protesters in solidarity. Speakers also included representatives of the Japan Federation of Aviation Worker's Unions and the All Japan Seamen's Unions, a lawyer, and a priest. (end)