Unions and religious groups jointly struggle against wartime bills

About 150 citizens, workers, and people of religious faith on April 8 held a rally in the Diet building to help develop the struggle to foil the wartime legislation, which the ruling parties are rushing into enacting.

This emergency rally was jointly organized by peace groups of people of faith and 20 unions of land, sea, and air transport, and harbor workers.

A Christian participant stated, "If the wartime legislation had been enacted, Japan's Self-Defense Forces would also have killed children in Iraq. We must not allow the pro-murder bills to be enacted."

Speaking on behalf of the 20 labor unions, Muranaka Tetsuya congratulated participants on setting aside differences and attending the rally to defend peace and called on them to increase their struggle to block the wartime bills.

The Japanese Communist, Democratic, and Social Democratic party Dietmembers encouraged the peace activists.

The ruling coalition on April 3 submitted its amended contingency bills to the Lower House Contingency Legislation Special Committee.

On April 7, members of the Japan Federation of Aviation Worker's Unions (JFAU) made representations to JCP Lower House member Kijima Hideo in protest against the wartime bills.

The JFAU representatives requested Kijima to strive to foil the bills, which will involve aviation workers in the U.S. war. (end)