Japan Press Weekly

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2017 May 24 - 30 [POLITICS]

Anti-Abe gov’t youth group protests ‘anti-conspiracy’ bill in front of Diet

An anti-Abe government youth group on the evening of May 26 held a rally to protest against an “anti-conspiracy” bill in front of the main gate of the Diet building.

Holding placards that read “Let me tweet freely!”, “Your ‘like’ is a watch target!”, 1,800 people gathered around the Diet and chanted in chorus, “Never permit the Abe regime’s personalization of power!”, “Scrap the ‘anti-conspiracy’ bill!”, and “Don’t lie about counterterrorism!”

Hirama Yuki, an 18-year-old high school student, appeared on a temporary stage and called on participants to raise their voices together, saying “The ‘anti-conspiracy’ bill will intimidate the general public into being silent about gov’t policies. This will lead the government to increase authoritarian behavior. Our freedom will be deprived.”

A university student, Baba Yukino, who is a member of the youth group ‘public for future’ delivered a speech. She said, “It’s reported that the government considers that citizens are making less noise as compared with the time when the Diet discussed the state secrets protection law or the war legislation. I think that the government looks down on citizens’ protests. We should raise our voices more.”

Japanese Communist Party Lower House member Ikeuchi Saori, Democratic Party Lower House member Abe Tomoko, and Social Democratic Party Upper House member Fukushima Mizuho appeared on the stage and shouted in chorus with participants, “Opposition parties unite, work together with citizens!”

Maeda Atsuko, who came from Kanagawa to join the rally, said “I’m angry at the Abe government’s arrogant behavior in the Diet deliberations. I cannot stay silent.”