Nationwide concerted actions carried out in opposition to MSDF refueling in the Indian Ocean

   Nationwide actions took place on October 3 in protest against the Fukuda government’s attempt to continue the Maritime Self-Defense Force refueling operations in the Indian Ocean.

   About 3,500 people in Tokyo and 3,600 in Osaka took part in rallies and marched in demonstration, shouting, “Withdraw the MSDF from the Indian Ocean! Make use of the war-renouncing Article 9 to contribute to international peace!”

   In the Tokyo rally, National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) President Ban’nai Mitsuo on behalf of the rally organizers stressed the need to stop the SDF refueling mission serving the U.S.-led war of retaliation and called on the participants to force the Fukuda government to hold a snap election if it clings to continuing the SDF activities.

   Kokuta Keiji, Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission chair, stated that despite the major change in the House of Councilors composition, the Fukuda government is still sticking to the policy of continuing the MSDF refueling operation to serve U.S. interests.

   Kokuta emphasized that war cannot eradicate terrorism and that Japan’s assistance to the U.S. retaliatory war goes against the Constitution.

   After the rally, participants marched in demonstration to the Diet Building passing near the U.S. Embassy.

   Activists took to the streets in Kyoto, Nagoya, Shizuoka, and Kanazawa, distributing handbills, collecting signatures in opposition to the continuation of the MSDF mission, and marching in demonstrations.            - Akahata, October 4, 2007