Shouts of ‘Give us jobs!’ echo throughout Tokyo administrative district

Japan Press Weekly

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

Shouts of ‘Give us jobs!’ echo throughout Tokyo administrative district

Chants of “Give us jobs! Create a safety net!” echoed throughout the administrative district of Tokyo on December 16.

Responding to the call by the Tokyo Spring Struggle Joint Committee and the Tokyo Regional Council of Trade Unions, participants filled the sidewalks with an array of banners and union flags in front of ministry buildings.

With the end of the year approaching, problems concerning employment and small businesses are becoming increasingly severe. Each one of the participants stood in long queues on the sidewalks to individually submit petitions to representatives of each ministry.

To the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, young union workers demanded urgent measures to not force anyone out onto the streets. A union head said that the government is responsible for securing a place to live for everyone so that tent villages for laid-off workers will not be needed to be built in parks this year.

In front of the Financial Services Agency, small business owners stood in line to request that the agency instruct banks to stop refusing to lend money to them and suspend the harsh repayment terms of business loans.

At the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, taxi drivers called for a halt to a further deregulation of the taxi industry. Construction workers requested more community-oriented public works contracts.

- Akahata, December 17, 2009