Actions held in opposition to the wartime-related bills

About 500 people on June 14 converged on the Diet building to express their opposition to the 7 wartime-related bills. The bills were bulldozed through the Upper House and became law.

The demonstration was jointly organized by five organizations, including the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and the Central Council for Promotion of Social Security.

The participants gathered at the visitor entrance of the Diet building after passage of the bills in the Upper House.

A member of the Pensioner's Union said, "Seeing Liberal Democratic and Democratic party members rise to express support for the wartime bills, I felt as if the constitutional principles that have been defended throughout the last 60 years were collapsing."

A 72-year-old man stated, "The current situation is very similar to what I saw during World War II when the government gradually established a system to mobilize its citizens for war."

Speaking to protesters, Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Togashi Renzo said, "Let us show our response to such a vicious act by winning the House of Councilors election." (end)