Japan Press Weekly

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2011 October 19 - 25 [CIVIL RIGHTS]

Democratic lawyers group marks 90th anniversary

The Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom (JLAF) on October 21 held a gathering in Tokyo to commemorate the 90th anniversary of its foundation with about 620 people attending, including its members and participants from labor unions and civic groups.

JLAF organizes lawyers across Japan committed to protect peace, democracy, and people’s human rights.

Representing the Japanese Communist Party, Chair Shii Kazuo and Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo attended the gathering.

The JCP leader in his solidarity speech praised JLAF’s pre-war activities. JLAF was established in 1921 in order to protect workers’ rights during a labor dispute at a shipyard in Kobe. JLAF members struggled to defend people involved in independence movements in Taiwan and Korea against suppression by the pre-war Japanese government.

Referring to JLAF’s activities since the end of WWII, Shii stated, “Lawyers of JLAF have been involved in groundbreaking lawsuits, winning many court decisions during Japan’s post-war court history.”

In conclusion, he said that JLAF represents the conscientiousness of the Japan’s judicial community and offered his best wishes for the further development of JLAF.