National grassroots movement calls for united effort to block contingency legislation

The National Forum for Progressive Unity for Peace and Democracy (Kakushinkon), which has helped develop the grassroots movement for progressive change in Japan's politics held a national discussion meeting on February 16 and 17 in Osaka City.

Naruse Noboru, representative coordinator, said that the forum's task in the 21st century is to establish a government in which the people are the main players. He said that this is different from May 1981 when the National Unity Forum was established with the main aim of fighting against moves to divide progressive forces under the Socialist Party-Komei Party Agreement.

With a view to effect a political change towards such a government, Naruse in particular called for a united effort to block contingency legislation as an immediate task, and also called for further development of grassroots forums which now total 701.

Participants reported on various activities in which even Liberal Democratic Party prefectural assembly members and doctors participated in the forum's symposiums on the need for safeguards to be invoked to defend domestic agriculture and medical insurance "reforms." (end)