2005 MARCH 23 - MARCH 29 NEWS

JOINT USE PLAN SET FORTH TO DEFLECT CITIZENS' DEMAND FOR RETURN OF BASE SITE
Defense Agency Director General Ono Yoshinori asked U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for U.S. support for a plan to share U.S. bases in Japan between the U.S. forces and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

JCP CALLS FOR AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM TO CUT CO2
Japan needs to introduce an effective system that sets the total amount of reduction of gases, makes agreement with local governments as well as each industry group or business entity, and publish progress reports.

2005 AICHI EXPO: LIGHTS AND SHADOWS
The showy event is expected to attract 150 million visitors, at the expense of irrecoverable environmental destruction and enormous debts for local governments.

DIET
FY 2005 budget
* JCP Shii: Struggle against tax increase policy must go on (March 24, 2005)

DIET
Social services
* Review of nursing care insurance system and postal privatization will dominate second half of Diet session (March 25, 2005)
* Five parties agree to set up panel to discuss social programs (March 26, 2005)

ENVIRONMENT
Aichi World Expo
* 2005 Aichi Expo: lights and shadows (March 23, 2005)

ENVIRONMENT
Global warming
* JCP calls for an effective system to cut CO2 (March 24, 2005)

CITIZENS' PROTECTION LAW
Protecting citizens against what? -- Akahata editorial, March 26, 2005

U.S. FORCES
* Court refuses to order the U.S. to return citizen's land (March 24, 2005)
* Yamato City Assembly says 'No' to U.S. aircraft carrier's homeporting at Yokosuka (March 25, 2005)
* Kanagawa requests government to listen to local opinions on U.S. base realignment plan (March 25, 2005)
* Okinawan town revokes decision to invite SDF (March 26, 2005)

Joint use plan set forth to deflect citizens' demand for return of base site -- Akahata editorial, March 28, 2005

BSE
* Government may ease BSE testing on all cows (March 29, 2005)

LABOR
* Workers at IHI demand an end to discrimination against communist party members in the workplace (March 26, 2005)
* Labor counseling center helps workers solve various problems (March 28, 2005)
* Sumitomo Metal ordered to pay compensation for discrimination against women (March 29, 2005)

NUCLEAR WEAPONS ABOLITION
* Anti-nuclear signature campaign gains worldwide support (March 23, 2005)
* Hidankyo proposes new standards for recognizing illnesses as being caused by A-bomb radiation (March 25, 2005)

EDUCATION
* Defend the Constitution and education law: 10,000 people rally (March 28, 2005)

SCANDAL
* Business tycoon Tsutsumi indicted (March 24, 2005)

ELECTION
* All JCP candidates elected in Koganei, Tokyo (March 29, 2005)
* JCP puts up good fight in local assembly elections (March 29, 2005)

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