November 20 & 21, 2011
The New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin) held its 25th assembly in Tokyo on November 19 and 20 and confirmed that it will further develop its activities to realize a gender-equal society based on the Japanese Constitution.
Participants reported on various grassroots activities, particularly in the efforts to get rid of all nuclear power plants and to defend children’s lives from radiation contamination. From Tokai Village of Ibaraki Prefecture, Yoshida Chie talked about local efforts involving many young mothers to close the Tokai No.2 Nuclear Power Plant.
From the end of July to this month, Yoshida’s local Shinfujin group collected more than 50,000 signatures calling for the decommissioning of the local plant, and submitted them to the prefectural government. Stating that half of the municipal heads in the prefecture expressed their support for an annual rally to commemorate the 1999 criticality accident at the JCO uranium processing plant in Tokai Village, Yoshida related that local cooperation is increasing with the common demand for the closure of the nuclear power plant.
A representative of a Shinfujin branch in Matsudo City in Chiba Prefecture reported on activities to respond to residents’ concerns over high radiation levels detected locally, including holding study meetings, measuring radiation doses, and lobbying the city government. Each activity successfully attracts young mothers and couples and have a potential to develop even further, she said.
Shinfujin Secretary General Yoneyama Junko stated that each report by participants illustrated how powerful and influential the women’s organization is, which includes various generations and actively tackles issues that have emerged in the post-3.11 disaster period.
The assembly chose Kasai Kimiyo as the new chair and adopted two special resolutions calling for the cancellation of Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact and a drastic revision of the election system.
Participants reported on various grassroots activities, particularly in the efforts to get rid of all nuclear power plants and to defend children’s lives from radiation contamination. From Tokai Village of Ibaraki Prefecture, Yoshida Chie talked about local efforts involving many young mothers to close the Tokai No.2 Nuclear Power Plant.
From the end of July to this month, Yoshida’s local Shinfujin group collected more than 50,000 signatures calling for the decommissioning of the local plant, and submitted them to the prefectural government. Stating that half of the municipal heads in the prefecture expressed their support for an annual rally to commemorate the 1999 criticality accident at the JCO uranium processing plant in Tokai Village, Yoshida related that local cooperation is increasing with the common demand for the closure of the nuclear power plant.
A representative of a Shinfujin branch in Matsudo City in Chiba Prefecture reported on activities to respond to residents’ concerns over high radiation levels detected locally, including holding study meetings, measuring radiation doses, and lobbying the city government. Each activity successfully attracts young mothers and couples and have a potential to develop even further, she said.
Shinfujin Secretary General Yoneyama Junko stated that each report by participants illustrated how powerful and influential the women’s organization is, which includes various generations and actively tackles issues that have emerged in the post-3.11 disaster period.
The assembly chose Kasai Kimiyo as the new chair and adopted two special resolutions calling for the cancellation of Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact and a drastic revision of the election system.
