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Rengo is divided over constitutional revision

The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) has elected a new president who is an enthusiastic advocate of gutting the war renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. But some of Rengo's major member organizations are reluctant to support his position.

The Rengo Convention (October 5-6, Tokyo) decided to continue discussion of its draft "Position Paper" on Japan's basic policies that includes a call for the Constitution to include provisions allowing Japan to militarize for the country's security.

The position paper was drafted after discussions with the leadership and by taking into account proposals from the Democratic Party of Japan. It says that Japan should be allowed to use the Self-Defense Forces to exercise the right of self-defense and sets forth the following two options for specific measures:

(1) Amend Article 9 to enact a "basic law for national security" establishing details regarding how to respond to outside attacks, and

(2) Enact a "basic law for national security" without amending Article 9.

The new Rengo president, Takagi Takeshi (head of UI Zensen Domei), has stated: "It is common sense for a country to seek to defend itself by establishing capabilities to respond to imminent aggression by other countries."

He has also called for the need to "get free from the spell of the interpretation of Article 9."

In its regular convention in September, pro-business UI Zensen Domei announced an interim report calling for amending Article 9.

The Confederation of Electric Power Related Industry Workers' Union (Denryoku-soren) has said that the need is to leave out provisions that are unrealistic and replace them with new ones.

Meanwhile, the All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union (Jichiro) insisted that "Article 9 should be maintained" and stated, "Rengo is a mass organization in which members have a wide spectrum of opinions and political views. We should not rush to arrive at a conclusion on this matter."

The Japan Teachers Union (Nikkyoso) also expressed opposition to the Rengo leadership's proposal, stating: "If Rengo suggests that Article 9 should be amended, it will lose public support, and this will in turn please the Liberal Democratic Party that calls for amending the Constitution."

Many delegates were apparently surprised or puzzled by the Rengo leadership's "Position Paper."

It is also noteworthy that although Takagi was elected as Rengo's new president, his contender in the election received more than 100 votes, suggesting that opposition to amending Article 9 persists in many parts of the federation.

At a press conference after the convention, Takagi admitted that the vote "may have reflected many delegates' opposition to constitutional revision." -- Akahata, October 8, 2005