2003 JAN 15 - JAN 21 JPS NEWS

JCP PUBLISHES ITS 80-YEAR HISTORY
The "Eighty Years" makes clear that what the JCP has achieved in the 20th century since its founding provides the power to help develop the future of Japan and the rest of the world in the 21st century. more


FARMERS MOVEMENT GETS INCREASING LOCAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT
At issue remains the government's new rice policy of abandoning the government responsibility to control the supply and demand as well as the price of the staple.

PRIME MINISTER'S YASUKUNI VISIT
* Koizumi visits Yasukuni Shrine without regard for criticism (January 15)
* Shii: P.M. Koizumi's deliberate third offense is intolerable (January 15)
* Protests increase against P.M. Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine (January 15)
* Prime Minister's Yasukuni visit fuels anger in and out of Japan (January 16)
* LDP has built-in structure to laud aggression (January 16)

WAR ON IRAQ
* All Japan Seamen's Union warns against war on Iraq (January 17)
* 7,000 people in peace rally call for opposition to war on Iraq (January 20)
* 70 percent of 20-year-olds are against war on Iraq (January 20)
* Opposition members of parliament and grassroots peace activists pledge cooperation against war on Iraq and contingency legislation (January 21)
Calls against war on Iraq develop worldwide - Akahata editorial, January 21

U.S. FORCES
* U.S. low-altitude flights disturb university entrance exam (January 20)

DIET
* Four opposition parties agree to join forces in next session of parliament (January 17)
* Former construction minister gets 18 months in prison over bribery (January 17)
* People with disabilities protest against adverse revision of home help service system (January 18)
* Ordinary Diet session starts (January 21)

LABOR
Alarmingly growing number of non-regular young workers -- Akahata editorial, January 16

FARMERS
* 15th National Convention of the Farmers Movement held (January 15)
* Farmers movement gets increasing local community support (January 18)

HUMAN RIGHTS
* Peace group uses Net to collect signatures to protect Korean residents' human rights (January 15)
* A district court rejects claim by former forced laborers taken from China (January 16)

EARTHQUAKE ANNIVERSARY
* 8 years after the quake, many still need relief (January 18)
* Many shocked by delays in reconstruction of quake-hit area (January 20)

JCP
80-year history
* JCP publishes its 80-year history (January 17)
International activities
* British embassy official visits JCP (January 21)
* Fuwa, Shii dine with Vietnamese ambassador (January 21)