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2004 APRIL 28 - MAY 11 NEWS

JCP CRITICIZES 3-PARTY ACCORD ON HANDLING PENSION REFORM BILL
In opposition to the accord reached between the LDP, Komei, and the DPJ, on handling pension reform, JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi stated that the JCP cannot allow such a vital question affecting people's living conditions and their life plans to be handled only by three parties.

POLARIZED ECONOMY FURTHER DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM SPENDING MORE
With real income and disposable income declining, consumers have to cut expenditures on clothing, entertainment, and food in order to buy high-tech products. Thus, personal expenditure on the whole is not increasing.

ANTI-NUCLEAR PEACE MARCH STARTS
The annual nationwide peace march calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons started on May 6. This 3-month march covers all 47 prefectures in 11 different courses heading for Hiroshima.

IRAQ WAR
* Writer Oda Makoto leads lawsuit against government over SDF deployment in Iraq (May 6)
* U.S. forces' atrocities must be eliminated: JCP Ichida (May 11)
* Government must urge U.S. to end anti-humanitarian acts: JCP Akamine (May 11)

WAR CONTINGENCY
* Government to allow military use of civil airports (April 30)

U.S. FORCES
* Process of environmental assessment starts for new U.S. air base in Okinawa (April 29)
* Stop drilling survey for a new U.S. base: Japan Peace Committee (May 11)
* Arrests of U.S. military personnel in Japan increase (April 29)

PENSION 'REFORM'
* Ruling parties bulldoze pension cut bill through Lower House committee (April 29)
* LDP, Komei, DPJ agree to vote on pension cut bill (May 7)
* JCP opposes three-party accord on handling pension reform bill (May 8)
* Chief cabinet secretary resigns (May 8)
* Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Democratic parties under fire (May 10)
* Kan Naoto resigns as DPJ leader (May 11)

CONSTITUTION
* LDP calls for new Diet committee aimed at constitutional revision (April 28)
* Business circles are set to propose revision of the Constitution (April 28)
* May 3rd Constitution Day (May 6)
* Museum glorifying war of aggression is being built (May 8)

NUCLEAR WEAPONS ABOLITION
* Anti-nuclear peace march starts (May 7)

LABOR
* 75th May Day held (May 6)
* Top court holds government responsible for coalminers' pneumoconiosis (April 28)

ECONOMY

Polarized economy further discourages people from spending more -- Akahata editorial, May 10
* Hitachi receives greater subsidy for R&D than 5 million small businesses combined (May 10)

CAR DEFECTS
* Mitsubishi Fuso concealed customer complaints (April 30)
* 7 Mitsubishi executives arrested (May 7)

BSE
* U.S. increases pressure on Japan to lift ban on U.S. beef imports (May 7)

WOMEN
* Japanese and Chinese women's organizations meet in Beijing (April 28)

EDUCATION
* Over 500 people rally against governor's militaristic intervention in education (April 30)

ELECTION
* Okinawan progressive forces decide to run joint candidate for Upper House election (May 6)

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