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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Mr. Prime Minister, how can we live on the 668 yen/hour minimum wage?

Thirty-one workers on July 12 staged a "hunger strike" in front of the ministry of labor for 668 minutes to draw attention to the 668 yen an hour national average in the minimum wage, demanding a drastic increase in the minimum wage.

Inside the ministry building, an advisory council on the minimum wage was discussing how to determine a minimum wage level for this year.

In a lunchtime rally held by the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and the National Spring Struggle Joint Committee, about 400 workers called for securing the wage at a level sufficient to live decently.

Zenroren President Kumagai Kanemichi said, "The need now is to drastically increase the minimum wage. Let's establish a minimum wage uniformly applicable throughout Japan and create a society in which everyone can live without economic anxieties!"

A participant working for a small company said, "Half of the employees in my company are non-regular workers with low wages. The minimum wage should be raised in order for everyone to live decent life."

Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Yoshikawa Haruko encouraged the participants.
- Akahata, July 13, 2006