May 2, 2011
On May 1, calling for relief for disaster victims and recovery from the disaster, the 82nd May Day events were held throughout Japan, including in the Great East Japan Disaster-hit prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima.
In Tokyo, about 21,000 citizens and workers, mainly members of unions affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), took part in the central May Day rally held at Yoyogi Park.
At the opening of the rally, all participants offered a minute of silence in remembrance of the disaster victims.
Zenroren President Daikoku Sakuji in his address on behalf of the organizing committee stressed the need to demand that the central government and the disaster-stricken prefecture governments implement urgent measures to ensure decent living conditions for the sufferers, and that Tokyo Electric Power Corporation provide compensation to enable nuclear accident-affected people to restore their lives.
Daikoku also stated that “it is important to strengthen public opinion demanding the use of a portion of large corporations’ excessive internal reserves to fund reconstruction projects” instead of imposing more financial burdens on the general public.
Representing the Japanese Communist Party, Chair Shii Kazuo attended the rally and gave a speech in solidarity, saying that it is necessary “to strengthen people’s movements to help relieve the disaster victims and reconstruct the areas, to make a drastic change in the government’s energy policy relying on nuclear power generation, and to establish an economic society governed by rules.”
“Learning from the Fukushima nuclear crisis, the government should decide to put an end to the promotion of nuclear power generation. In order to achieve this, the government should draft a program which sets a deadline to shut down all existing nuclear power plants,” said Shii.
The rally received a message from Moteki Mamoru, Chair of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), opposing Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade pact.
After the rally, participants marched in demonstration through central Tokyo’s three main areas carrying signs, placards, and banners. They appealed to passersby by chanting, “Now is the time to unite behind the strength of workers to reconstruct disaster-hit areas! Don’t use the disaster as an excuse to dismiss workers!”
In Tokyo, about 21,000 citizens and workers, mainly members of unions affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), took part in the central May Day rally held at Yoyogi Park.
At the opening of the rally, all participants offered a minute of silence in remembrance of the disaster victims.
Zenroren President Daikoku Sakuji in his address on behalf of the organizing committee stressed the need to demand that the central government and the disaster-stricken prefecture governments implement urgent measures to ensure decent living conditions for the sufferers, and that Tokyo Electric Power Corporation provide compensation to enable nuclear accident-affected people to restore their lives.
Daikoku also stated that “it is important to strengthen public opinion demanding the use of a portion of large corporations’ excessive internal reserves to fund reconstruction projects” instead of imposing more financial burdens on the general public.
Representing the Japanese Communist Party, Chair Shii Kazuo attended the rally and gave a speech in solidarity, saying that it is necessary “to strengthen people’s movements to help relieve the disaster victims and reconstruct the areas, to make a drastic change in the government’s energy policy relying on nuclear power generation, and to establish an economic society governed by rules.”
“Learning from the Fukushima nuclear crisis, the government should decide to put an end to the promotion of nuclear power generation. In order to achieve this, the government should draft a program which sets a deadline to shut down all existing nuclear power plants,” said Shii.
The rally received a message from Moteki Mamoru, Chair of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), opposing Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade pact.
After the rally, participants marched in demonstration through central Tokyo’s three main areas carrying signs, placards, and banners. They appealed to passersby by chanting, “Now is the time to unite behind the strength of workers to reconstruct disaster-hit areas! Don’t use the disaster as an excuse to dismiss workers!”
