Transport and harbor workers' unions call for blocking wartime legislation

Twenty transport and harbor trade unions have published an appeal calling for joint action against wartime legislation which is now being prepared by the government to be submitted to the current Diet session.

The appeal, titled "Let's rise in joint action against wartime legislation to invoke the bill for steps to deal with situations in areas surrounding Japan," was issued on February 26 by union organizations comprising 349,000 ground, air, and sea transport, and harbor workers.

At a press conference, Aviation Safety Council Chair Ono Noriyuki on behalf of the "group of 20" said, "The aim of the wartime legislation is not for Japan to cope with an armed attack on Japan, but for launching military operations to meet possible 'situations in areas surrounding Japan."

Wartime laws, if enacted, will not only expose mobilized workers to a grave danger, but also give a serious blow to the safety of the people, because such military action may eventually cause an attack against ground, air, sea transport and port facilities in Japan, he said.

"The need now is for Japanese workers to organize a massive movement as broad as possible to kill the bill beforehand," Ono stressed.

"Irrespective of differences of opinions, they are requested to stage joint actions on only one agreed point of 'opposition to wartime legislation," the appeal says.

41 construction-related unions also give warning

A similar statement was also issued by 41 trade unions and organizations related to construction, including the All Japan Construction, Transport and General Workers Union (CTG) and the All Transportation Ministry's Harbor & Construction Employees' Union.

Sakai Ken'ya, CTG chair, on February 26 sent a copy of the statement to Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, urging him to stop working on the unconstitutional wartime bill.

The statement pointed out that the government, through drafting the wartime bill, is examining how to apply Article 103 of the Self-Defense Forces Law to the new law, an article providing for the requisition of land and housing, and forcing citizens into war-related operations.

Not only doctors and nurses, but civil and construction engineers, carpenters, plasterers, and steeplejacks are assumed to be included in the wartime legislation, it stated.

Recalling that construction workers were sent to the front during the Pacific War and forced to cooperate with U.S. operations in the Korean War, the statement emphasized that such actions must never be repeated. (end)