1,800 people in rally determine to make Yoshida Governor of Tokyo

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1,800 people in rally determine to make Yoshida Governor of Tokyo

The Association for Progressive Metropolitan Administration on November 20 in Tokyo held a public meeting in which 1,800 people took part, calling for the victory of Yoshida Manzo, a progressive independent candidate supported by the Japanese Communist Party, in the Tokyo gubernatorial election slated for next spring.

A wide range of people, including a young worker, a former elementary school principal, a nursery teacher, a priest, a company president, a doctor, and a lawyer, spoke in support of Yoshida.

Author Saotome Katsumoto in his endorsement speech said, "Let us build a fortress to defend peace and democracy in Tokyo."

Yoshida, from the rostrum, criticized incumbent Governor Ishihara Shintaro for advocating the adverse revision of the Constitution, cutting welfare programs, and pushing ahead with major ill-advised urban development projects as well as for wasting tax money on his frequent overseas luxury tours.

Yoshida pledged that he will improve residents' living conditions, make Tokyo livable by critically reviewing large-scale development projects, and turn Tokyo into a center of peace and democracy.

Referring to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's reactionary policies of adversely revising the Fundamental Law of Education and the Constitution, JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi in his speech pointed out that Ishihara has long been leading Japan on this dangerous path.

Ichida also criticized Ishihara for continuing to impose Hinomaru and Kimigayo on teachers and students in defiance of the Tokyo District Court decision that this Tokyo Metropolitan government policy is unconstitutional and illegal, and for disavowing the Constitution by saying, "I will dismantle the Constitution for the rest of my life."

Ichida pointed out that Ishihara has cut welfare budgets by 54 billion yen in the past six years while pushing ahead with a major urban development plan costing 8.5 trillion yen, using the Olympics bid as the pretext, and promoting his personal interests to make luxurious overseas trips at the expense of residents.

"With Governor Yoshida, let us create a Tokyo government that serve its residents," Ichida concluded.
- Akahata, November 21, 2006