Internationale Protestaktion gegen Privatisierung und Krieg

Am 6. November nahmen in Tokio rund 10.000 Menschen an der "Internationalen Kundgebung gegen Krieg, Privatisierung und Gewerkschaftszerschlagung" teil, mit vielen TeilnehmerInnen aus Korea (KCTU) und grossen Delegationen der Dockarbeitergewerkschaft ILWU und der Maschinistengewerkschaft AMFA (die über ihren Streik bei den Northwest Airlines berichteten) aus den USA. Der Hintergrund dieser Demonstration ist ein dreifacher: Zum einen will die japanische Reaktion die Verfassung ändern, um wieder "richtig" bei den Kriegen dieser Welt mitmischen zu können (natürlich, wie heute alle, um irgendwo die Freiheit zu verteidigen), an der Seite der USA, zum anderen bedeutet der Wahlsieg Koizumis - neben neuen Erziehungsgesetzen, gegen die diverse LehrerInnengewerkschaften zur Zeit streiken und mit denen Schulbücher bekannter Kriegstreiber eingeführt werden - die beschleunigte Privatisierung weiterer Bereiche, nachdem er kürzlich mit der Post einen gegen alle Widerstände erfolgreichen Anfang gemacht hatte. Drittens häufen sich in Japan, wie in Südkorea und den USA Maßnahmen der Beschränkung gewerkschaftlicher Tätigkeit. Organisiert war diese, als Auftakt einer langfristigen Kampagne verstandene Aktion von oppositionellen Basisorganisationen diverser Gewerkschaften: Der Solidaritätsgewerkschaft japanischer Bau- und Transportarbeiter aus Kansai (Kan-Nama), der Metallgewerkschaft aus Osaka, Minato-Godo, und der Lokführergewerkschaft von Chiba (Doro-Chiba). Wir dokumentieren die (ins englische übersetzten) Kundgebungsreden von japanischen oppositionellen Gewerkschaftern und ihren Verbündeten, die vom LaborNet USA am 11. November 2005 per Mail (aber nicht im Netz) publiziert wurden, und werden im Verlaufe der nächsten Woche grössere Teile auf Deutsch nachliefern, da sehr interessante Informationen über Auseinandersetzungen und Debatten der japanischen Gewerkschaftsbewegung in den Beiträgen enthalten sind.

Kundgebungsreden in Tokio am 6. November 2005

Speech By NAKAMURA Yoshimasa, Vice-President, MINATO-GODO (Metal and Machinery Workers Union in Osaka)

Last November, Brother Pak Sang Yun of KCTU suddenly passed away. He made a powerful and moving speech at the last November rally. We express our deep grief. At the beginning of this rally, we ask all of you to give a silent prayer for Brother Pak San Yun and all the brothers and sisters who are falling down in madness with anger at class struggle. Please stand up! Please close your eyes and pray for them. Offer a silent prayer for Brother Pak Sang Yun.Brothers and sisters from around Japan, and from the United States of America and South Korea! Thank you for your participation in this rally.

I greet you on behalf of the three unions that have organized this rally. Todays rally, called for by the three unions, is the eighth of our annual November National Workers Rallies. We are very glad to see that year-by-year the number of participants has been growing and that this rally has been gathering a wide range of people who seek international solidarity. Lets applause and thank once more to the delegations from abroad with all the participants of this rally.

Well, in the past year the circumstances surrounding the workers and social situation have drastically changed; we face now unlimited deprivation of workers' rights. Some decades ago the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (Sohyo) used to be compared with erstwhile might Japanese Imperial Army; the social influence of labor unions today is far from that of Sohyo.

After the general election of September 11, governing parties, with their newly gained two-thirds majority seats in the Lower House, passed the postal services privatization bill. It is inevitable that the government would cut workforce of civil services and intensify the attack with an iron hand against labor unions themselves. Already, as shown in Osaka City, dismantling of worker's rights, destruction of their lives, and denial of their integrity as human beings have been occurring one after another like dominoes.

By stirring up citizen's bad feelings against municipal workers on TV and newspapers, by waging a near-daily negative campaign against labor unions, and even by tailing and watching union officers, our enemies have been launching vile propaganda against municipal workers. Although the raised issues have been approved in labor-management talks or by the municipal assembly, they accuse workers of "high wages", "excessive welfare." They escalate to the point where they accuse so-called "fictitious" overtime, pension, and "illegal" union activities and full-time union officers.

Deprivation of worker's rights shows no sign of slowing down. Although these vicious attacks have been carried out in continuity, no counter offensive from the official labor organizations can be seen anywhere. It's time for public-sector workers and private-sector workers to unite and to develop solidarity.

In conjunction with the attack against civil service workers, the state power repeatedly cracks down labor unions with criminal charges, arrests, detentions, and indictments even in minor cases. As you know, six unionists including president of KAN-NAMA (Solidarity Union of Japan Construction and Transport Workers Kansai Area Branch), Brother Take, are still in Osaka Detention Center. It has already been 10 months since the arrest but only recently prohibition of access to the arrestees was removed (as of October 29). It's an extreme oppression.

On the other hand, since the Division and Privatization of the JNR in 1987 dismissed 1047 national railway workers have kept the principles of labor movement in their struggle. Although the judgment of September 15 for their lawsuit against the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation was quite inadequate, it exposed the unfair labor practices of our enemy and closed up one of their escape lines. Now is the time for us to fight to force the enemy to account for responsibility as employer, pointing out the government statement at the Diet of those days.

At the same time, let's carry off a not-guilty ruling for the defendants who fought against disciplinary measures imposed on dismissed workers at the Extraordinary Convention of National Railway Workers' Union of May 27, 2003. They were falsely charged.

Now, Zenkin (National Trade Union of Metal and Engineering Workers) Motoyama Union that had fought for 34 years in Sendai City (Miyagi prefecture) gained a complete victory. We'd like to send a salute and applaud brothers of Motoyama Union, who have devoted themselves for 34 years - that is half of their life - and who have presented a big vision; if we fight, we can surely get a victory.

The aggressive war on Iraq, reinforcement of the US bases in Okinawa, deployment of an atomic-powered aircraft carrier at the port in Yokosuka, move to revision of the Fundamental Law on Education and the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, introduction of Crime of Conspiracy - these attacks are conducted in the context of establishing a militarist system. Let's fight back and stir up big wave of struggle in various parts of the country.

Finally I'd like to underline the following point. Our rights can be temporarily deprived. But if we keep up workers' spirit and use the right to organize as our leverage, and keep our morale high, it is surely possible to get back our rights. Although our strength is limited, we can expand our movement from point to line, from line to surface. Let's stop reactionary dash by Koizumi administration. Let's stop its dictatorship. It's our task. Let's struggle for a fascinating society in which workers are its masters and can find their hope, dream and purpose of life. Solidarity is just our life. Struggle is just our dynamism. Thank you.

SATO Akio, Representative of Founders, Denounce the Repression of the Struggle at the May 27 National Railway Workers' Union Congress!

Japanese National Railways was divided and privatized eighteen years ago, the purpose of which was to demolish fighting unions. After its defeat on the decision of Tokyo District Court in 1998, National Railways Workers'Union(NRU, Kokurou) has submitted to it to turn from fighting. And it called an extraordinary congress to impose disciplinary measures on union members who have been fighting against the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation, which had taken over National Railway. It also sold out to the security police eight members (known as the "Kokurou 8") who had handed out leaflets and made persuasive activities requesting the congress delegates to suspend the convention. This led to the trial of National Railways Workers' Defendants of the May 27 Congress.

On September 15, the decision of suit was given at the Tokyo District Court. Although it contains the various flaws, the court recognized the fact of unfair labor practice by Japan Railway Corporation in the process of division and privatization and ordered her to make reparation for the damages. If the plaintiffs (that include two of Dismissed JNR Workers who have been defendants on the congress repression trial) had dropped the suit and yielded to National Railways Workers' Union Executives, the unfair labor practice by state would have been at the risk of being covered up. Power aimed at it with NRU Executive colluding conspired to complete the transformation of NRU.

It is not only to NRU for power to transform the labor unions, but also true to the other unions like privatization of the postal services. Because power knows thoroughly that union-busting is premised on the politics of fascism, for that aim the government buries the memory of the aggressive wars into oblivion and emotionally instigates self-righteous nationalism. Yashukuni Shrine edifies as "Eirei" (glorious spirits of the military dead) Class A war criminals who led the aggressive war and those who, ordered by Emperor Hirohito and the government, had gone through atrocities against the people of invaded countries. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Koizumi visits the Shrine and shamelessly says, "It is an oath of peace." Words hide the truth from our eyes.

This trial is not based on fact, but only takes advantage of and based on prejudice of Chukaku faction to divide the workers' struggle. In order not to allow such a maneuver we must forge the solidarity of fighting workers at home and abroad as well. Let's enlarge today's solidarity further! We are determined to cut the root of repression.

TAKAYAMA Shunkichi, President, Society fro Constitution and Human Rights in Japan Federation of BarAssociations

Working brothers and sisters who took part in the National Workers' Rally on November 6, KCTU Seoul District and other brothers and sisters from Korea, the ILWU, the AMFA and other brothers and sisters from the United States, I express solidarity from my heart representing the "Constitution and Human Rights Defenders in the Japan Federation of Bar Associations." I am a lawyer.

Iraq, Iran, Palestine and Afghanistan. Bush's Preemptive Attack Doctrine that aims at those countries. Overseas deployments of Japanese Self Defense Forces, tension of "Diaoyu Islands" and "Dokto Islands", economic sanctions on North Korea and revision for worse of the Fundamental Law on Education. Reactionary revision of the Constitution that all those roads lead to. And the Transformation of U.S. forces in Japan trampling again on the people of this country including Okinawa and aiming at Asia. Both the world and Japan have rushed into the crisis of war.

The crisis of war - that is the era that rulers are prepared to make war as the only way to overcome the contradictions. Contradictions have reached the obviously catastrophic level. Attacks are more brutal and more fascistic than ever. But the era of crisis is also the time of arisen struggles in unprecedented forms. That is because, needless to say, contradictions are obvious for everyone, and that makes it possible that the protesters increase infinitely.

Of course they know that. That is why their next answer is an ultimate attack with all resources of their system trying to weaken our fighting spirit with more thoroughgoing repressions. But also that means for us an historical opportunity of unprecedented counterattacks. That is because very many people, jumping the barriers of thought and creed, have to oppose the attacks that deny and trample on their own personality. The era of crisis is the era of historical all-out war; halfway struggles never win, but genuine struggles certainly win. I would like to tell you the situation of the lawyer front. We have been strengthening the struggle for stopping the amendment of the Constitution focusing on LDP's attack on the current Constitution.

The fundamental human rights, democracy, permanent peace, and the current Constitution is both the certificate of the war crimes and the deed of apology with regard to taking away 20 million lives of Asian and other people through that world war. As a man who lives under the current Constitution, as a lawyer who live under the current Constitution, it is no exaggeration at all that stopping its amendment is one of our fatal activities.

Tokyo Bar Association, which represents a fourth of the lawyers across the country, issued the statement that it opposed strongly the presentation of the "Referendum Bill," the first step for the revision of the Constitution. We are trying now nationwide with all our resources to persuade the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to stand at the forefront of the struggle against LDP's attempt to kick away the Second Section of Article 9 that writes, "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained." We pledge more advance of the struggle here. We have been deadlocking various plots of revision for worse of criminal legislations promoted in parallel with the revision of the Constitution. We were able to stop the enactment of "offense of conspiracy", "Maintenance of Public Order Law" of our time, also at this session. We will win a victory at the struggle against outrageous bills even when reactionaries occupy more than two thirds of the House of Representatives. Also the "Citizen Judge System," which aims at mobilization of people to establishment-friendly judiciary, has been deadlocked by the general objection of citizens. The struggle against nationalization of lawyers (making of state-managed lawyers) and other various attempts to control lawyers has been greatly going forward. Many lawyers who take part in these struggles are present in this rally.

I regret to say that I cannot tell all of our progresses at my seven-minute speech. In next February, a new president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations shall be elected. I will run again for the presidency shouting,"Stop the revision of the Constitution" as my first slogan. With grass-root lawyers who try to live in this era seriously with each and every worker and citizen, we shall be sure to win this decisive war. Let's join hands at the activity to turn the history to its right direction. Solidarity with nationwide organization of militant workers! Solidarity with international unity of workers against war promoters!

Keynote Speech of the November Rally of 2005: TANAKA Yasuhiro, President National Railway Motive Power Union of Chiba (Doro-Chiba)

Prime Minister Koizumi forced through the general election of September 11 as a "coup" against the post-war system of Japan. It brought about a sea change of the situation. We, workers, face now the demise of the "post war democracy." A two third majority in the Lower House enables Koizumi to initiate a constitutional revision. He built, however, nothing but a sandcastle. In spite of a massive deceptive propaganda by all the media, the ruling parties, the LDP and Komeito, could only gain less than 50% of the votes in the election.

The LDP released the draft of a new Constitution. The provision of Article 9: "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained," is about to be changed into a war provision: "military defense forces shall be maintained." It is an abolishment of the present Constitution rather than its amendment. The governments of Japan and the United States published their interim report concerning Japan-US Security Alliance and "transformation" of US military forces. Relocating the US Army's 1st Corps headquarters in Washington State to Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture and instituting joint commands, they are pushing the project to make Japan the biggest and most important strategic stronghold in East Asia and "the arc of instability" stretching from Northeast Asia to the Middle East. Crack down of the struggle against the construction of new military bases in Okinawa and significant increase in military capabilities are their priorities. Once again the military activity of the Self-Defense Forces in Iraq is about to be prolonged.

Nationalism is emerging in Japan. Koizumi has repeatedly visited Yasukuni shrine. Extreme rightists and Fascists are put back onto center stage from dark corners of Japanese society where they hitherto spent their lives. Reactionary movements are organized: adoption of the revisionist history textbook of "Tsukurukai" and so on. The most dangerous for the labor movement is the effort by the enemies and the labor misleaders to build a"national unity" which supports various reactionary policies for a new war. They are desperately pursuing to transform Japan into "a war state." We are at a cross road of the history. Only the struggle of the united workers can block the revision of the Constitution and the Fundamental Law on Education and stop the war.

The average wage of workers dropped back to the levels of 15 years ago. Over 20 percent of the households earn yearly less than 2,000,000 yen (about $17,000). Irregular workers have rapidly increased since a decade ago; among women and young under 25, irregular workers reached 50 percent of the workforce. Year after year the gap between the rich and the poor has been widening tremendously; we cannot survive without fighting in these circumstances. These were created by Koizumi, Okuda and so on. Behind them lies an unsolvable crisis of capitalism.

Spinning lie after lie and slandering public workers as the cause of all evils, they make every effort to destroy our unity and to portray workers as utterly powerless existence. In cooperation with them, the misleaders of Rengo (Japanese Trade Union Confederation) and Zenroren (National Confederation of Trade Unions) have become tools of capitalists for destruction of our class-conscious solidarity. However, when many workers make out that the hardship they face with is not their doomed fate which lasts forever, and that the root cause of it is Koizumi, Okuda and Co, it will be impossible for the ruling class to suppress the workers' anger. Let us overcome obstructions by the corrupt labor bureaucracy and take back worker's pride and solidarity!

The coming two years will be decisive for the Japanese labor movement. The LDP and the business world aim at legislation of National Referendum Bill for constitutional revision by 2007. On the timetable of the Postal Services' privatization by 2007, 400,000 postal workers are about to be screened for outrageous union busting dismissal. The final report for the fundamental revision of labor contract legislation by 2007 was issued. It recommends that employers should have rights to change working conditions unilaterally and easily dismiss workers. Also by 2007, the fundamental revision of taxation system - tremendous tax increase for workers - and dismantling of the social security are to be implemented. They are destroying the unity of workers, jobs, wages, pensions and all the rights and lives of working people, in order to launch a new war. Such onslaught on workers, however, cannot go as planned. Anything can happen from now on. Enough is enough! Fighting labor movement is now emerging. Last October, in the election of the new President of the Rengo at its National Convention, Takagi, the official successor of the incumbent and an overt proponent of "obligation to defend the country" and "military conscription," saw a lot of dissident votes beyond expectation; he could not propose the planned agenda for the revision of Article 9 of the Constitution.

The driving forces behind Rengo's Convention were the education workers in Tokyo and around Japan who had refused "Hinomaru" ("Rising Sun" flag) and"Kimigayo" (anthem of "His Majesty's Reign"), the National Railway workers who had fought for reinstatement of dismissed 1047 workers, and the militant members of Jichiro (All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union) including its Okinawa District. The rank and file of Nikkyoso (Japan Teachers' Union) and Jichiro successfully fought back against their National Executives' that had proposed to give up the unions' traditional pro-Constitutional policies.

We became more and more confident in our struggle for rail safety after the JR Amagasaki accident. Unexpectedly numerous people from around the country supported our struggle. It showed us worker's various sufferings in the"free market" and privatization, and their heartfelt wish for revitalization of the labor movement. Six executive board members of Kan-Nama (Solidarity Union of Japan Construction and Transport Workers Kansai Area Branch) including President are in detention for nearly one year. Kan-Nama Union, however, has been fighting back this tremendous repression and organizing more and more workers. Minato-Godo (Metal and Machinery Workers' Union in Osaka). whose slogan is "Unity is Our Lifeline," organizes many workers in the medium, small and micro enterprises in their area. Zenkin Motoyama Union gained a complete victory after 34 years of the struggle. In spite of the reactionary judgment of September 15 for the lawsuit against the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation, the struggle for canceling of dismissal of 1049 National Railway workers continues its 18 years of struggle and confronts all the privatizations. And today, Japanese, Korean and US workers are here. We are determined to unite internationally and fight against our common enemies. In America, the AFL-CIO had split. However, brother and sisters of AMFA have been on strike for over 80 days. In Korea, brothers and sisters of KCTU is preparing a general strike for legislation of Law to guarantee rights for irregular workers. Workers of the whole world are faced with the same attacks. Behind these attacks lies an unsolvable crisis of capitalist system, which cannot survive without launching wars. The system that cannot feed the workers is to be broken down.

Our enemies have more and more troubles. Widespread Anger at the enemies cannot be contained any more. So, a single spark can start a prairie fire. Our chance is enormous. Unexpected incidents would occur. Japanese workers are now caught in a storm. However, revitalization of the labor movement can be achieved only through a turbulence of action and reaction - through sharp confrontation and fluctuation.

It is time to confront union busting of Koizumi administration and change the established labor movement. Workers of the whole world must unite to fight against our common enemies, take back our solidarity and revitalize the labor unions. Today, workers around the world are now taking back their strength - strength to organize themselves, develop solidarity and create a new era.

Let's revitalize labor unions, fighting against war, privatization and union busting! Break down the thick walls of the ruling class with our anger. Workers united can never be defeated. More voices of anger! Unite! Organize! Down with the reactionary Koizumi administration! Let's develop the international solidarity of Japanese, US and Korean workers!Declarations of struggle from workplaces

NEZU Kimiko (junior high school teacher, Tokyo)

Under the Ishihara metropolitan government for the past several years, the public school education has been treated as if it has been owned by the powers. They make the children compete each other in "Multi-Tiered Lessons according to acquired levels" in their primary school days, make them believe that there are Winners and Losers from the very moment they were born. On the other hand, Ishihara has tried to plant the children the nationalism and the submissiveness to the superiors. Schools, if they keep going like this, will end up making their students work for the state and cooperate for its wars voluntarily. Every time state powers have become too big, school education has been used as a tool for them. We, the teachers, should not repeat such a mistake again now. This should be our number one priority here.

In 2003, the Metropolitan Board of Education declared to discipline the teachers and school staffs if they refuse to stand up for Kimigayo at the ceremonies, and to discipline the repeated refusers much severely. I believe that it is our duty to refuse the submission to Kimigayo under such circumstances. More than 300 teachers and staffs, including me, have been disciplined but have kept fighting back. I got one-month suspension after refusing stand-up at the entrance ceremony this spring, as I had showed disobedience to the Board of Education and had already been disciplined repeatedly. It was a gross injustice. But I have not given up fighting. I dared to keep going to school during the suspension, and to show what was happening there to the students and the people in the community. It should have been a heavy blow to the Board of Education.

In 5 months, there comes the graduation ceremony and I will refuse stand-up again. It will result much severe discipline. I may be dismissed in the near future. But I have made up my mind to keep disobedience as long as being a teacher. We should never send our students to the battlefields again; this is teachers' number one duty. I want to ask the teachers close to the retirement age. Let us refuse stand-up, show our disobedience, and fight against Board of Education with all our might. That should be best thing we can leave to our students and our younger colleagues. We, the Japanese teachers, need to learn from the fight of Korean teachers and school staffs who have kept fighting under severe oppression and dismissal attacks.

AOYAGI Mitsuru Vice President, ZENKIN-MOTOYAMA(Motoyama Metal and Engineering Workers' Union)

I feel delighted to make a report on the victory of our struggle here. Members of Motoyama labor union has been fighting back against the union busting by the MOTOYAMA ENG. WORKS, LTD. (hereafter: Motoyma Corporation) for 34 years and finally achieved a victory on January 19 this year. On March 1971, in order to transform the union to company union, affiliated Motoyama Corporation ordered me to transfer to the business office in Hiroshima where I could not act as union activist. It's aim was to smash the labor union that became conscious of fighting through the strike which was called for the first time in 19years.

I was dismissed from Motoyama Corporation because of my refusal to the transfer to Hiroshima. Although at the same time the company union leadership deprived me of my union membership, we could regain the leadership in the executive election and plunged into the struggle for withdrawal of discharge putting up slogans "No concession to discharge of even a single worker!"√Ö@Motoyama Corporation split the union up to crush our struggle for repeal of dismissal and hired the violent security guards to let them violently attack us by hitting and kicking. However we had withstood these assaults for 7 months. Realizing that violence was not enough to break our union, Motoyama Corporation decided to lock out to starve 218union members into surrender. But we continued our fighting by earning the funds for living and struggle expenses through the part time jobs of construction works and the busshihanbai: a kind of peddling, popular way to get funds in Japanese labor movement to overcome the difficulty as well to get supports widely.

Defining the Motoyama struggle as a theme of public order, Miyagi Prefectural Police has oppressed us. By doing this they safeguarded Motoyama Corporation. Despite malicious arrest of more than 100 persons we have continued the struggle. Union headquarter which already had selected the unified rightist labor movement course expelled our union because we did not follow the head office policy that we should have given carte blanche to Central Labor Relations Commission. On top of this, the conservative judicial power rejected all our assertions in the courts resulting in that hired case of our two unionists came to a definite decision.

n spite of the defeat in courts, our slogan "No concession to discharge of even a single worker!" has moved spirits of many unions and their members under the control of Japanese Trade Union Confederation. They supported our expelled Motoyama Labor Union for over 30 years.

In March 2003 we got a partial victory in the court. We has strengthened our struggle using this victory as a "weapon" to topple the Supreme Court definite decision and actually forced to Motoyama Corporation to withdraw discharge of two members.

One member who is older than retirement age of 60 returned to his former work place!Our 34 years long Motoyama Union's persistent struggle shows that workers' struggle can overcome any attacks and oppressions by Corporations and State power and that reactionary judgment by the judicial power have no impact to the workers' struggle.

We are facing the era of Globalization when and where workers around the world could not survive without struggle. We can say with certain that working class can see bright future in the very international solidarity strong enough to bring back GLOBALISM. In advancing the international solidarity let's fight for victory!

HOSHINO Katsunori (post worker)

I shall give my speech representing 400,000 postal workers. On October 4, Postal Services Privatization bill has passed the Diet. But the fight is not still settled up. On October 21, we had a demonstration parade of anger and declared to fight for positive objection to Postal Services Privatization and to overthrow Koizumi government. The decisive battle has now got started.

This intense attack of Privatization leads to discharge and war, if we do not fight and wait for the storm to pass. But even in this situation, the JPU (Japan Postal Workers' Union) headquarters completely surrenders and have no will to fight with this attack.

To fight or to surrender, that is the question. We are sure that we can cut our way through the storm just only by fighting on.

While in the times of general election, what did Koizumi say for us? "You who hold on to the vested rights are dregs". He abused us as if the thousand trillion yen debt of the country was made by public working postal workers. Stop joking! What we made was the trust to the 365 days-24 hours-non-stop postal services. We are proud of our work and in fact, no tax is spent for postal services. Who squeezed tax out of us and spent money like water and finally caused arbitrary bankruptcy? It's you Koizumi and LDP (Liberal Democratic Party), yourself. Don't talk nonsense!

We are angry to the JPU head quarters' conspiracy with the postal administration authorities. What they did? Forced allocation in the name of personnel interchange, work force reduction in the name of efficiency promotion and in addition, consecutive late-night labor. Many workers have been injured and killed. Our anger is on the brink of explosion.

Stand up! All the postal workers gathered here today. Now is the time for us to regain our fighting union and overthrow JPU headquarters. It is we postal workers that control the postal services. Labor union must work for us, rank and files. Let's fly our red flag of the Union.√Ö@Brothers and sisters joining in this rally! We Japan Postal Workers' Union workers shall fight to overthrow Koizumi government and fight against privatization in the front. Solidarity!

JINBO Yoshihiko (Vice President, Sendai City Municipal Workers Union)

Good afternoon every one! Thank you for coming from all over Japan and from abroad! My name is JINBO. I am vice president of the Sendai City Municipal Workers Union. At first, I want to express solidarity with our fellow workers from Korea and America. We are here to fight against the wars and the privatizations in international solidarity.

American workers! Your struggle against the Iraq war and against President Bush, the driving force of the war on Iraq, has encouraged the workers all over the world. Korean workers! Especially the workers for the public sectors! I want to express my respect for your brave struggle against the harsh oppression by the state powers, and for your passionate struggle to defend the irregular workers' rights. We, the Japanese workers, must learn from your struggles and follow the track you have made.

The new Koizumi administration is the real formation for War and Privatization with the General Minister Takenaka, the Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe who declares to visit Yasukuni Shrine, and the Foreign Minister Aso who praises "Soushi-kaimei", the colonial period's order forcing Koreans to have Japanese names instead of their owns. We, the prefectural and municipal workers in Japan, are now fighting against the union busting and the privatization of all public sectors which started from the postal service section. We are facing the numerous personnel cuts and the wage cuts through the introduction of the merit system, regional allowances and assessed promotions. General privatization of the local government services is looming under the name of the Market Testing, the Public Service Efficiency Act and the Official Business Reform Act. The aim of these attacks is to wipe out the labor unions and its movements from the local governments by segmenting and discriminating the public sector workers from the private sector workers. But the attacks are also targeting the wages and labor conditions of all the workers by introducing the "law of the jungle". The Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe has publicly made an unreserved remark: "We have to shut out Jichiro union from the public offices." Additionally, they are aiming to mobilize local governments together with the Japanese Self Defense Forces and the US forces under the name of "The Plan To Protect The People". At the Sendai municipal office, my work place, dismissals of workers and discard of residents' service have also begun through the privatization with"Appointed Manager System" and "PFI". We have had growing number of workers who have suffered from the physical and mental illnesses nowadays. This is the time for the labor union. And we have actually set up the new union and we are now challenging to broaden its membership to fight back. The delegates from Okinawa made a powerful speech at the Annual General Meeting of Jichiro union in August. They determinedly opposed the wars and blasted the Jichiro leadership's plan to support the Constitution amendment. All the local government workers cannot let them isolated. We have to stan up to the Koizumi Administration's attack on Jichiro union and to fight against war and privatization. All the workers! From today, from here in Hibiya, let's build up mass workers' struggle fighting against Koizumi's aggressive regime hand in hand with the workers in the world who are also fighting against the war and the privatization! Let's fight together!

ENDO Keiko (A healthcare worker)

Workers, civilians, and students filling Hibiya! I appreciate a chance to make a speech in such an assembly hall full of vim and vigor for struggle. I am a healthcare worker, and a president of the Executive Board of union. I've been a president for only two years, however, many member of the Executive Board and union members, who support and struggle with me, are now in this hall. Many fellows around union encourage me to speak at such a rally and to carry on a principle campaign. Through the last year, we were critically tested. A certain level of wages and work conditions, which we've only just held, were targeted root and branch by the management. We are convinced that it's not only the offensive of the individual management, but also the offensive itself of government and capitalist with Koizumi Administration at the top. They intend to dismantle all the system of healthcare, welfare, and social security. We've fought and carried on our campaign against management for one year, keeping in mind all the time that government and capitalists were behind them. Concretely saying, we continue to fight against cut of total labor cost led by the results-based pay system. Last year, we launched a signature campaign which covered all of the staffs, whether union member or not, opposing the results-based pay system. This signature campaign showed that many staffs supported our campaign beyond expectation. More than half of them expressed support for us with their signatures. That made all of us hugely cheerful, and enabled to carry on annual autumn labor offensive. Although this campaign is currently on progress, we brace ourselves for the future offensive by management mainly composed of results-based pay system.

We considered why many staffs including nonunion workers could support and take part in our movement. We guess that that was the circumstances of workers, which have deteriorated beyond the line they can't bear up anymore. One more thing, our ardent repeated appeal, neither looking at the black side of the situation nor giving up hope, but reporting the circumstances of workers correctly and calling on solidarity, could touch the hearts of workers. Important thing is to appeal emphatically that workers are a leading character of our society "Workers exist therefore the society works", and we can't protect our "lives and rights" without solidarity.

This is the overview of our one-year struggle, and the campaign from now on. No one except us, healthcare workers, can face off Koizumi who make a mess of healthcare, and can protect the lives of patients! I have many comrades in my workplace, and also I have many comrades in this rally with us. Everyone, let's hold out together!