Unions and peace organizations hold rally to help increase struggle to block wartime legislation

On April 8, 84 representatives of trade unions and peace organizations held an assembly to strengthen the struggle against the wartime legislation at the Lower House members' building. The ruling parties on the same day explained the main points of the bills in the Diet.

The participants were from 28 organizations, including the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), the New Japan Women's Association (Shinfujin), and the Peace Committee. The assembly decided to jointly take to the streets to collect signatures in protest against the wartime bills while lobbying national and local lawmakers.

In a lobby of the Diet building on the same day, about 180 protesters submitted to Japanese Communist Party member Sasaki Kensho signatures demanding that the contingency bills be scrapped and that the Iraq war be stopped immediately.

A Shinfujin representative stated that she wants to vote for politicians who oppose the pro-war contingency bills in the simultaneous local elections.

A member of the Tokyo Construction Workers' Union criticized Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro for expressing immediate support for the U.S. war although he has failed to take any effective measures to solve the economic recession.

Representatives of the Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom on the same day lobbied the Lower House Contingency Legislation Special Committee members against the wartime bills. (end)