May 31, 2008
Trade unions and other democratic forces on May 30 submitted to the Diet about 780,000 signatures in support of the call for the “elimination of poverty and prevention of constitutional revision” and other keen demands.
This was part of a day of action called for by the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) calling for an end to the system omitting the elderly over 75 years old from medical care services, a drastic revision of the worker dispatch law, and carrying through the ideals of the Constitution’s Article 9.
Participants took part in signature collection and various other street-actions near the Diet building.
At a rally held at the Hibiya open-air hall with about 2,000 people attending, Zenroren President Bannai Mitsuo stated, “On all issues, including worsening living conditions, employment, and the defense of Article 9 of the Constitution, our struggle is influencing public opinion and government policies.”
Speaking on behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, House of Representatives member Kokuta Keiji said, “Prime Minister Fukuda must not be allowed to stay in power.”
At the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the National Personnel Authority, about 1,000 people petitioned for an increase in the minimum wage and revision of the Worker Dispatch Law.
A rally was held in the Diet building to share experiences in opposition to adverse constitutional revision. It was reported that since 2004, a total of 4.5 million signatures in defense of Article 9 have been collected.
A worker reported that the Hokkaido Federation of Trade Unions-Zenroren alone has collected more than one million signatures.
A group participating in a campaign tour of local municipalities reported that nine out of ten local government heads said they had never read the Liberal Democratic Party draft of a new constitution.
Speaking at the rally, JCP House of Representatives member Kasai Akira said that the need now is to block the enactment of a permanent law to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces overseas.
This was part of a day of action called for by the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) calling for an end to the system omitting the elderly over 75 years old from medical care services, a drastic revision of the worker dispatch law, and carrying through the ideals of the Constitution’s Article 9.
Participants took part in signature collection and various other street-actions near the Diet building.
At a rally held at the Hibiya open-air hall with about 2,000 people attending, Zenroren President Bannai Mitsuo stated, “On all issues, including worsening living conditions, employment, and the defense of Article 9 of the Constitution, our struggle is influencing public opinion and government policies.”
Speaking on behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, House of Representatives member Kokuta Keiji said, “Prime Minister Fukuda must not be allowed to stay in power.”
At the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the National Personnel Authority, about 1,000 people petitioned for an increase in the minimum wage and revision of the Worker Dispatch Law.
A rally was held in the Diet building to share experiences in opposition to adverse constitutional revision. It was reported that since 2004, a total of 4.5 million signatures in defense of Article 9 have been collected.
A worker reported that the Hokkaido Federation of Trade Unions-Zenroren alone has collected more than one million signatures.
A group participating in a campaign tour of local municipalities reported that nine out of ten local government heads said they had never read the Liberal Democratic Party draft of a new constitution.
Speaking at the rally, JCP House of Representatives member Kasai Akira said that the need now is to block the enactment of a permanent law to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces overseas.
