75th May Day held

May Day was celebrated at 375 locations throughout Japan in which participants expressed their determination to give their verdict on the Koizumi Cabinet's pension cut plan and its rejection of the call for the Self-Defense Forces to be brought back from Iraq.

In Tokyo, about 42,000 people took part in the 75th Central May Day Rally at Yoyogi Park.

Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Kumagai Kanemichi, president of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), criticized the ruling parties for forcibly passing a bill to adversely revise the pension system through the House of Representatives Committee.

"Let us develop our movement in places of work and communities to democratically reform Japan's politics," said Kumagai.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo stressed the need to immediately withdraw SDF troops from Iraq and to support a U.N.-led effort to assist Iraqi people in reconstructing their country.

Shii called on the participants to band together to realize rules in defense of workers' rights that are at least as effective as those in Western Europe. (end)