'No to U.S.-led war of aggression against Iraq and SDF dispatch' -- Peace rallies and marches
On March 20, the first anniversary of the Iraq War launched by the U.S. and British forces, about half a million people took part in rallies and marches in about 300 cities throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south as part of the Global Day of Action.
Calling for the withdrawal of the occupation forces from Iraq, participants expressed their opposition to the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq.
About 10,000 citizens in Osaka formed a human sign reading "NO WAR" to express their opposition to the Iraq war and occupation.
In Tokyo, major rallies took place at Shiba Park and Hibiya Park. A concert rally was also held at Hibiya by the 20 trade union groups related to ground, air, and sea, port transport.
At 11:33 a.m. (JST), when the Iraq War started a year ago, about 30,000 citizens in Shiba's rally shouted "End the occupation now!" with gongs, bells, and drums.
Kumagai Kanemichi, National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) president, gave the opening address at the rally.
Shii Kazuo, Japanese Communist Party chair, called for developing peace movements in opposition to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq and the SDF dispatch. Referring to the victory of the opposition parties in Spain's general election, he stressed that history will be made by the peoples of the world in the struggle for justice.
Participants marched in demonstration in three separate courses in the rain.
Another 30,000 people took part in the rally at Hibiya Park and carried out a peace march toward the Ginza. Addressing the rally on behalf of the organizers, Hoshino Yuka, CHANCE representative, called for publicizing the significance of the Constitution to the entire world, especially its war-renouncing Article 9.
Kumaoka Michiya, representative from the Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) whose staff members have been in Iraq for medical assistance, called for a U.N.-led reconstruction of Iraq so that Iraq's reconstruction will be dealt with by the Iraqi people themselves. (end)
