Joint Action Center gearing up movement against constitutional revision

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Joint Action Center gearing up movement against constitutional revision

The Joint Action Center against Adverse Revision of the Constitution held its fourth national meeting in Tokyo on September 2 at which some 400 people from across the country took part in order to exchange experiences and promote the movement.

Established in September 2004 at the call of representatives of six democratic organizations, including the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and the New Japan Women's Association (Shinfujin), the Center now has 259 local centers, taking the lead in the movement in defense of the Constitution.

Participants discussed how to advance the movement from the grassroots level at a time when all three candidates for the Liberal Democratic Party president are calling for constitutional revision, and the ruling LDP and the Komei Party show their intention to use their majority to push through in the next extraordinary Diet session the bill to establish the procedure for constitutional revision.

A woman representing Shinfujin-Hokkaido reported that the center in Asahikawa City, from which the Ground Self-Defense Force advance unit was dispatched to Iraq, has collected 8,000 signatures calling for the defense of the Constitution. She added that the local center is resolved to collect 20,000 signatures.

A representative from the Gifu prefectural center said that in August they drove two cars over 2,000 kilometers across the prefecture calling for the defense of the Constitution.

An activist from Nagano Prefecture spoke about their activities to put an advocacy ad in opposition to the constitutional revision in a local newspaper. He also reported that 30 out of 81 local assemblies in the prefecture have adopted resolutions expressing their opposition to or calling for extensive Diet discussions on the revision of the Fundamental Law of Education.

Participants agreed to increase the signature collection drive, cooperation with local residents, and study activities. They also decided to establish local centers in all municipalities throughout the country.

Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member Kasai Akira spoke about the recent Diet situation.
- Akahata, September 3, 2006