Red cards and drums - Weekend of protests against Abe administration in Shinjuku, Tokyo

A rally and march titled “Let's say No! to the Abe administration Aloud – the June 15 demonstration in Shinjuku” was held in Tokyo on June 15. “We are totally against a country to wage wars!” “Abe, No! Abe, No! No! No! No!!” Chants of 480 protesters echoed in the busy town on a Sunday afternoon. At the pre-march rally, AMAMIYA Karin, an author and activist, and YAMAGUCHI Motoaki of the Part-timer, Arbeiter, Freeter & Foreign Workers union made speeches. “We are making desperate efforts to stop exacerbation of serious problems,  wars, nuclear and poverty, among others. Let's voice our concerns and anger in this demonstration.”  “Many workers are forced to do unpaid overtime. Large businesses have internal reserves of more than 20 trillion yen, but they refuse to provide workers with their due shares. We are pressed to make a decision to take on a full-scale fighting against the administration of and for the wealthiest population for the survival of ourselves.”  The marchers relaxed in the sunshine of early summer walked around the railway station for about an hour vigorously, with various signs and red cards in their hands.  (By OZAWA Kuniko)      
 Video (no subtitles) 

The march of “Angry Drummers” started at 2pm on June 14 in a park in Shinjuku, Tokyo. “Quit, Abe! Say no to fascism!” “Protect our constitution! Save the article 9!” - the protesters walked through a busy town on a holiday afternoon in the hot sun and appealed to passers-by. Some seemed to be impressed with the powerful sounds of drums and get interested. ”We'll never ever allow such an idiot prime minister to ruin the pacifist constitution that the people have valued for many years.” The drumming and chanting heated up, reflecting the boiling anger of the protesters. The sounds encouraged struggling people and would be bells in the funeral to the ears of fascists. The reporter was convinced that the Birnam Wood would move one day, bringing an end to the present administration that ignore people's voices.  (By MAKIKO Yoshimaru)   

   Video (no subtitles)

安倍政権にレッドカードを！～6.15新宿デモに480人

「戦 争する国絶対反対！」「アベ！ダメ！ アベダメダメ！」、新宿の街に安倍政権ダメの声が響いた。6月15日午後「安倍政権はダメだとはっきり言おう！6.15新宿デモ」が行われ、480名が参 加した。デモ出発前、アルタ前広場では、作家の雨宮処凛さんやフリーター全般労組の山口素明さんが「戦争、核、貧困などの問題をなんとか止めたい、デモで 声を 上げよう」「残業代もらってない人多いと思う。企業は20何兆円もの内部留保があってもこっちには回さない。富裕層の政権を倒して生きていけるようにする のか、今問われている」とアピールした。夏の日差しを浴びて新宿駅を一周する約1時間のデモは、さまざまなプラカードやレッドカードが掲げられ、ゆった りとにぎやかだった。（尾澤邦子）　 
動画（新宿デモ 4分）

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安倍はやめろ！怒りのドラムデモ～今こそ街頭に出てたたかう時

6 月14日午後2時、東京・新宿 の柏木公園から出発した「怒りのドラムデモ」隊は、炎天下の新宿の街頭を「安倍はやめろ！ファシズム許すな！」のスローガンをシュプレヒコールしながら行 進した。同時に、「憲法こわすな！9条守れ！」と道行く人々に訴えた。打ち鳴らされる強烈なドラムのリズムが雑踏の人々にも伝わっていくのか、関心を 向けてくれるようにも見える。長年守られてきた平和憲法をこんな馬鹿な奴の勝手な解釈で変えられてたまるか。ドラムとシュプレヒコールはいよいよヒート アップし、デモ隊の怒りは沸点に達していく。それは闘う人民を鼓舞する響きであり、またファシストたちへの弔鐘である。バーナムの森は必ず動く。人々 の声を無視する独裁者は必ず滅びる。（牧子嘉丸）  
動画（ドラムデモ 4分）

Celebrities and ex-SDF member take part in protests against the use of collective self defense right

As the closing of the Diet session on June 22 was approaching and the Abe administration was increasing the pressure on ruling parties to approve the cabinet decision on the interpretation of the constitution that will allow the use of the right to collective self-defense, protests were staged by civic organizations day after day. In the evening of June 9, some 350 citizens gathered in front of the prime minister's office to conduct an urgent action.  “We will never allow Japan to wage wars!” “Block the constitutional revision by interpretation!” The chanting voices reflected protesters' desperate feelings.  Among the speakers of the rally that day, there was a man who used to serve in the ground Self Defense Force as a ranger.  “When I joined the SDF, I signed a pledge spelling out the readiness to risk my life upon direct and indirect invasions to Japan.  It is a breach of contract to have SDF members take part in military operations by and for the United States. It would be too cruel to SDF members if the constitutional framework were changed just by interpretation and decision by a single administration and we were sent to the front. I tell you, prime minister Abe, that you must go through a due consultation process with the people when you decide on such a crucial issue,” he remarked angrily. The Anti-War Committee of 1000 submitted to the Diet a petition signed by 1.75 million people opposing the approval of the use of right to collective self-defense in the afternoon of June 12 and held a rally in a park in central Tokyo later the day.  Actor SUGAWARA Bunta, 80, made a speech in the rally in front of 3,000 participants that filled the open air theater in the park. “Wars violently deprive people of their lives. Being drafted in his 40s, my father spent six years in military. Though he survived, the rest of his life was devastated. His younger brother went missing in the front. Not even a string of his hair came home. We must prevent wars. If they started a war, we must oppose even at risk of our lives.” Though he talked calmly and slowly, the audience felt his anger. The participants of the rally marched to the Diet afterwards and staged protests in front of the prime minister's office and the Diet building. Nobel laureate OE Kenzaburo, auther and activist OCHIAI Keiko, auther SAWACHI Hisae,  psychiatrist KAYAMA Rika, and journalist and activist KAMATA Satoshi were among the protesters. (By M)

 

  Video (June 9, no subtitles)        Video (June 12, no subtitles)

「契約違反！自衛隊員はたまらない」～元レンジャー隊員が官邸前で訴え

6 月22日の会期末を前 に「集団的自衛権容認・閣議決定」へ突っ走る安倍政権に対して、9日夜、約350人の市民が官邸前で怒りの緊急行動を行った。「戦争する国絶対反対！」 「解釈改憲許すな！」コールの声も必死だった。リレートークで元陸上自衛隊レンジャー隊員がマイクを握った。「私は、日本への直接・間接侵略に対して命を かけて国を守ると誓約書にサインして自衛隊に入った。アメリカの都合で他国の軍事行動に参加するのは契約違反だ。日本が本当に戦争する国に舵を切るかどう かを、一政権ごときの“憲法解釈”で決められたら、自衛隊員はたまらない。安倍総理！ 決めるならきちんと国民の審判をあおぐべきだ」。元レンジャー 隊員の怒りの眼が官邸に注がれた。（М）  
動画（YouTube 4分）

菅原文太さん「命がけで戦争反対を！」～6.12全国署名提出集会

「戦 争は暴力。父は40過ぎで 戦争にとられ、6年後に帰ってきたがその後の人生を棒に振った。父の弟は戦地に行ったまま消息不明になり髪の毛1本戻ってこなかった。戦争は絶対やめな きゃダメです。もし始まったら、みなさん命をかけて反対しましょう」。今年80歳の菅原文太さんは6月12日の「戦争をさせない全国署名提出集会」（日比 谷野 音）で、3千人の聴衆を前に怒りをこめて訥々と訴えた。この日午後、「戦争をさせない1000人委員会」は「集団的自衛権」行使容認に反対する175万筆 の署名を国会に提出した。集会に集まった人たちは、その後徒歩で国会に向かい、首相官邸・国会に向かって抗議の声を上げた。大江健三郎・落合恵子・澤地久 枝・香山リカ・鎌田慧の各氏も参加した。（М）
 動画（菅原文太さんの訴え 7分）

“RICOH, an unscrupulous company,” shown in a photo of a victim of “ghetto” in the office

GOTO Seryoji, a Russian-Japanese former employee of Ricoh, committed suicide at the age of 46, leaving a photo of himself showing a sign that says “an unscrupulous company” above the company name displayed on the wall at the gate of the premises. The printing machine manufacturer pressed ahead with a full-scale restructuring plan in 2011, setting a precedent to major electric equipment makers, and forced 1600 employees of 45 years and above to retire prematurely. 152 of them including Goto who refused to resign were assigned to a ghetto-like office where no responsibilities suitable to their expertise or work experiences were given. He killed himself by jumping off a building in November 2012, out of depression he suffered after leaving the company as a result of repeated meetings to force him into unwilling resignation.  In a press conference held in the health, welfare and labor ministry on June 6, Goto's father talked of his anguish that made him speak in public on his son's suicide. “My mind became a complete blank (as he was informed of the death of his son). I don't want anyone else to suffer from the tragedy of my son. I want to know why he was cornered to the point where he took his own life,” he said. FUJIMOTO Takashi, 48, who is struggling in the “ghetto” with a harassing assignment of handling toner wastes expressed his determination to keep on fighting with the company's wrong doings. (M）
YouTube

 「悪徳会社RICOH」の写真を遺して～リコー「追い出し部屋」の実態

「悪 徳会社RICOH」の写真 を遺して、後藤世良治さん（リコー社員・ロシア系日本人）は、46歳で自ら命を絶った。2011年リコーは大手電器メーカーに先駆け、大リストラを敢行。 45歳以上の1600名の従業員に対して執拗な退職強要を行い、退職に応じなかった152名は「追い出し部屋」に入れられた。後藤さんは数度にわたる退職 強要面談で サインを迫られ、退職後うつ病となり、2012年11月飛び降り自殺をした。6月6日、この問題で厚労省記者会見が開かれた。父親のAさんは、「頭が真っ 白になった。こんなことを二度としてほしくない。息子がなぜ追いこまれたのか知りたい」と公表した思いを語った。また現在も「追い出し部屋」に入れられ、 嫌が らせのトナー廃棄物の仕事をさせられている藤本隆志さん（48歳）は、「おかしいことはおかしいと言い続けたい」と抵抗の決意を語った。（M）  
動画（YouTube 4分）

Losses for both flight attendants and pilots: appeal court affirms unfair dismissals by Japan Airlines

Tokyo High Court handed down rulings on June 3 and 5 on appeals filed by Japan Airlines' flight attendants and pilots who were unfairly dismissed in 2010. The lower court's decisions that affirmed the dismissal of 165 workers were upheld. Several hundred supporters gathered in front of the court house on June 3 to hear the ruling for 71 flight attendants. Many of them could not help sighing in disappointment as the sign of “unfair ruling” was displayed, but they soon started chanting to show their anger.  “There's no justice in this country!? I have no words to express the indignation I now feel. The ruling seems to have given unconditional support to the logic of business and ignored the rights of workers who actually sustain the society. With courts like this, there is no future for workers in Japan,” said one of the plaintiffs bitterly. YAMAGUCHI Hiroya, the leader of the pilots group, denounced the ruling by saying that Tokyo High Court had reduced itself to a machinery to implement the policy of the current administration to make Japan 'the country that provides the most favorable environment for businesses.' UCHIDA Taeko, the leader of the flight attendants group told supporters that they would bring the case to the supreme court and asked for continued support. The ruling for the pilots was given in the afternoon of June 5, the day when a number of morning flights of the airline happened to be canceled due to computer system troubles. Lawyer IMAMURA Kojiro said that the judges had provably made the decision in the beginning. “In the hearings, we verified in details that the dismissal was unnecessary for the reconstruction of the company, but the ruling addressed none of the points we argued in the court,” he said.  Uchida commented on the ruling for the pilots with an outrage. “The management placed priority on profits and viewed safety as unimportant. This resulted in the dismissal of many highly experienced pilots and cabin crew and eventually threatens the safety of the flights at present. Today's ruling by the high court that affirms the shameful  policy will only exacerbate the present situation. We will never forgive the two presiding judges.”  (By M)

  Youtube Video (June 3, no subtitles)

 Youtube Video (June 5, no subtitles) 

 司法は死んでしまったのか！～JAL不当解雇争議 控訴審判決も「解雇容認」

「司 法は死んでしま ったのか。言葉で言い表せない憤り。企業側の論理だけを認め、社会を支える働くものを考慮しないのか。このままでは日本は暗黒社会になる」、原告の客室乗 務員の女性は厳しい口調で語った。6月3日、JAL客室乗務員71名の整理解雇を争う控訴審裁判で、東京高裁は地裁判決を維持する「解雇有効」の判決を下 し た。「不当判決」の旗出しに、数百名の支援者からため息が漏れた。そしてそれはすぐに怒りのシュプレヒコールに変わった。山口乗員原告団団長はマイクを握 り、「東京高裁は安倍内閣の“世界で一番企業が活動しやすい国”にする実行部隊に成り下がった」と声を張り上げた。内田客室乗務員原告団長は「最高 裁に上告してたたかい続ける。引き続き支援を」ときっぱり語った。（M)
 動画（YouTube 5分）

 「日航の安全無視に加担した東京高裁」～JAL整理解雇 パイロットも不当判決

6 月5日朝か ら、システム障害発生し欠航が相次ぐ日本航空。そんななか午後1時半から東京高裁第24民事部（三輪和雄裁判長）で、165人のJAL整理解雇事件・パイ ロットの控訴審判決があった。内容は、2日前の客室乗務員と同じく「控訴棄却」の不当判決だった。今村幸次郎弁護士は「解雇が必要なかったことを詳細に立 証し たが、それについて一言もアンサーがなかった」と結論ありき判決を批判した。客室乗務員原告団長の内田妙子さんは「いま日航の安全運航が脅かされている。 これは日航の利益追求・安全軽視。ベテランをどんどん切っていった結果だ。高裁判決は、そんなJALのやり方に加担し、さらに進めるものだ。大竹たか し、三輪和雄の二人の裁判長は許せない！」と体を震わせて訴えた。（M）  
動画（YouTube 5分）

The world demands justice for former “comfort women” - 250 gather in solidarity

The 12th Asian Solidarity Conference on the Issue of “Comfort Women” for Imperial Japanese Army was held in Tokyo on May 31. Some 250 participants filled the venue. The subtitle for the conference this year, co-hosted by Japanese and Korean groups, was “The world demands a solution to the issue of former 'comfort women'.” For years, the organizers had been urging the Japanese government to admit the facts pertaining to the issue and take responsibilities. They had the conference in Tokyo this year in order to put pressure on the Japanese government to solve the issue soon, sources said.  In the second part of the conference, victims from Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, China Indonesia, East Timor and Holland reported on their agonizing experiences as sex slaves. They are continuing protests against the wrongful deeds by Imperial Japanese Army irrespective of the old age and poor physical conditions. Some pointed out that the Japanese government should follow the example of Germany where the remorse for wartime behavior have been translated into institutions including national legislation and history education, rather than superficial words of regrets. (By OZAWA Kuniko)

世界は「慰安婦」問題の解決を求めている！～連帯集会に250人

5 月31日、第12回日本軍「慰 安婦」問題アジア連帯会議～世界は「慰安婦」問題の解決を求めている！ が東京で開催され、会場満席の250名が参加しました。これまで日本政府に対し、「慰安婦」問題の事実を認め、責任を果たすよう要求してきたが、これ以上 待つことはできない、解決を迫ろうと、東京で開催することになったとのこと。韓 国との共同開催で行われました。第2部では、被害国からの報告として、台湾、フィリピン、韓国、中国、インドネシア、東ティモール、オランダから参加した 方々の報告がありました。被害者は高齢となり、体調はすぐれないが、日本軍の不正行為に対して、抗議活動を続けていると話していました。「日本は、口 先だけの反省ではなく、国家レベルでの法律の制定や歴史観の教育など具体的に反映したドイツに学ぶべき」という指摘もありました。（尾澤邦子）