25,000 people rally to stop wartime legislation

About 25,000 people attended a rally in Tokyo on December 1st to renew their resolve to block the government's attempt to get the wartime bills enacted.

The rally was sponsored by 20 trade union organizations of ground, air, and sea transport workers, and various religious people's networks for peace. It was this year's 4th national rally devoted to the struggle against the so-called contingency legislation.

Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Suzuki Reiko, a representative of the Christians Peace Net, said that force cannot create peace.

Fudesaka Hideyo, Japanese Communist Party acting secretariat head, introduced at the rally the recent moves around the three contingency bills. He warned that partial amendments will not change the nature of the bills which will mobilize the people for war. He said that the bills should entirely be scrapped.

The Social Democratic Party leader and a Democratic Party House of Representatives member also gave speeches.

Representatives of organizations of lawyers, youth, and consumers expressed their determination to get the bills scrapped.

Speaking on behalf of the Tokyo High School Students Seminar on Peace, Inoue Yukari, a high school senior, asked why Japan has to be turned into a war-fighting country. Her speech received great applause.

After the rally, the participants marched in demonstration through Tokyo's Shibuya district on three courses. (end)