Japan Press Weekly

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2008 October 15 - 21 [WELFARE]

2,000 people in Anti-Poverty Network rally demanding decent work and bright future

About 2,000 people took part in a rally on October 19 in Tokyo to express their condemnation of the present society in which many people are forced to endure harsh working conditions as “working poor.”

Trade unions, civic groups and lawyers in the Anti-Poverty Network organized the rally to observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which can be traced back to October 17, 1987.

In the opening speech, Utsunomiya Kenji, the executive director of the Anti-Poverty Network, said, “The burning question today is whether we can stop the increase in the poverty rate. Our task is to develop a social movement that will bring together consumers, trade unionists, and social services workers.”

Amamiya Karin, the Anti-Poverty Network deputy executive director, said, “We will fight to get back our wages, human dignity, and our prospects for a future that have been taken away.”

Participants listened to reports on a nationwide campaign that the Network has carried out for three months. Workshop discussions were held on 12 issues, including work, housing, and children, followed by a demonstration.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo took part in the rally, talked with the organizers, and listened to many group discussions.