June 25, 2015
Two days after the ruling parties forcibly extended the current Diet session for 95 days on June 22, about 30,000 citizens’ voices opposing the war legislation echoed through the Diet building.
This action was called for by a civic organization composed of pro-Constitution groups and the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren). They have also been staging sit-in protests every day in front of the parliament building.
At 6:30 p.m., protesters began to chant in chorus. The Diet building was surrounded by their shouts, “Scrap the war bills!” “The Abe Cabinet should resign immediately!”
Twenty lawmakers from the Japanese Communist Party joined in the demonstration. JCP Chair Shii Kazuo said in his speech, “Let’s work together to kill the bills with overwhelming public opposition.” Parliamentarians from the Democratic, Social Democratic, and People’s Life parties also delivered speeches in solidarity.
Matsudo Keisuke, a 20-year-old college student living in Tokyo, came to have an interest in politics after feeling a strong loathing for the rightist comments on the Internet. “Being indifferent is not good. I’ll continue to raise my voice in protest until the bills are scrapped,” he said.
Watanabe Junko, a 54-year-old woman from Chiba Prefecture, has often taken part in the weekly anti-nuclear power action outside the prime minister’s office building. “The Fukushima nuclear disaster has yet to be brought under control even four years after it occurred. There are a lot of other things the government should do,” she said in anger.
Sato Hiroyuki, 32, living in Saitama City, learned about the Japanese Constitution after becoming a working adult and was deeply moved by Article 9 which renounces war forever. “I don’t want our generation or future generations to fight in wars. We must block enactment of the war legislation at all costs,” he said.
Past related article:
> Actions against war bills gain momentum [June 14 & 16, 2015]
This action was called for by a civic organization composed of pro-Constitution groups and the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren). They have also been staging sit-in protests every day in front of the parliament building.
At 6:30 p.m., protesters began to chant in chorus. The Diet building was surrounded by their shouts, “Scrap the war bills!” “The Abe Cabinet should resign immediately!”
Twenty lawmakers from the Japanese Communist Party joined in the demonstration. JCP Chair Shii Kazuo said in his speech, “Let’s work together to kill the bills with overwhelming public opposition.” Parliamentarians from the Democratic, Social Democratic, and People’s Life parties also delivered speeches in solidarity.
Matsudo Keisuke, a 20-year-old college student living in Tokyo, came to have an interest in politics after feeling a strong loathing for the rightist comments on the Internet. “Being indifferent is not good. I’ll continue to raise my voice in protest until the bills are scrapped,” he said.
Watanabe Junko, a 54-year-old woman from Chiba Prefecture, has often taken part in the weekly anti-nuclear power action outside the prime minister’s office building. “The Fukushima nuclear disaster has yet to be brought under control even four years after it occurred. There are a lot of other things the government should do,” she said in anger.
Sato Hiroyuki, 32, living in Saitama City, learned about the Japanese Constitution after becoming a working adult and was deeply moved by Article 9 which renounces war forever. “I don’t want our generation or future generations to fight in wars. We must block enactment of the war legislation at all costs,” he said.
Past related article:
> Actions against war bills gain momentum [June 14 & 16, 2015]
