Japan Press Weekly

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2009 June 10 - 16 [EDUCATION]

Students rally demanding reduction of tuitions

Called by the All Japan Federation of Student Unions (Zengakuren), 166 students from 41 colleges and universities throughout the nation held a rally at the University of Tokyo’s Komaba Campus on June 13 to voice their key demands, including the demand for lower tuition fees.

Zengakuren President Koyama No called on participants to redouble the effort to call attention to the students’ movement to ensure that students can study under proper conditions through a campaign to collect 100,000 signatures by the end of this year in support of the national campaign calling for cuts in student tuitions and an increase in the government budget for higher education.

A participant, a sophomore from a social welfare college, said, “Wages in social welfare services are so low that I’m afraid that it will be difficult to repay the student loan after graduating from college. Aiming to establish a society that will ensure everyone can receive education and get a job, I will join with students and guardians in continuing this struggle.”

On the previous day, June 12, about 80 Zengakuren members petitioned the Diet calling for reduction in student tuitions and measures to stop unfair withdrawal of employment offers.

In the petition, Zengakuren representatives urged the government to increase the budget for interest-free student loans, establish scholarships with no obligation to repay, and establish a system to regulate the illegal withdrawal of employment offers strictly.