Youths petition lawmakers to remove difficulty in finding jobs

The Democratic Youth League of Japan on February 16 petitioned, with 70,000 signatures, all Lower House members asking them to remove the difficulty of finding employment and to establish work rules.

Some 150 members who had participated in the DYLJ 31st National Congress visited every lawmaker and said, "We can't find any jobs though we would like to work," and "Overtime work without pay for full-timers still remains unchecked."

They, acting in 36 groups, demanded these items: end long hours of work and unpaid overtime work, increase job-openings for young people, and have large corporations expand job opportunities for them.

One group visited Akamine Seiken, Japanese Communist Party representative, who said, "I will take up the issue in a House Budget Committee meeting and do my utmost to have it resolved."

One LDP lawmaker they met said, "Excessive overseas expansion of large corporations is causing this difficulty. They should increase employment at home."

A young man who took part in the lobbying said, "I thought lawmakers, ruling or opposition, cannot but admit the serious conditions regarding employment. I will continue to struggle in my hometown."

Prior to the lobbying, JCP lawmakers Hatano Kimie and Yamaguchi Kimio encouraged the young lobbyists by saying, "Your campaign will lead to changing our country for the better." (end)