Thursday, September 25, 2014

12th anniversary of the Pyongyang Declaration for diplomatic normalization between Japan and North Korea: Shocking realities of “comfort women”




On September 13, 2014, there was a meeting to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Japan-DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) Pyongyang Declaration for normalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries in central Tokyo, participated by 160 people. A report of NISHINO Rumiko, the co-leader of the VAWW RAC (Violence Against Women in War Research Action Center), on former “comfort women” in North Korea was very shocking. In 1993, 131 women declared as victims of comfort women as a result of a survey in North Korea on them. The number increased to 218 in 2000 and, according to Nishino, 43 women among them testified publicly. Photos of cuts and burns of cigarette, which they suffered when they resisted the Japanese rulers, were displayed. (OZAWA Kuniko)

* Photo: Nore-no-kai chorus group of Korean songs

日朝平壌宣言12周年 国交正常化求める集会~衝撃的だった「慰安婦」被害実態

913日、「日朝平壌宣言12周年 動き出した日朝交渉―今こそ国交正常化へ!9.13集会」が東京の文京区民センターで開かれ、約160名が参加しました。VAWWRAC共同代表の西野瑠美子さんの「在朝鮮“慰安婦”被害者の実態」報告は衝撃でした。1993年に発表された共和国の被害者の調査報告では、当時131名が「慰安婦」被害者として申告しました。その後2000年頃には申告者は218名となり、43名が公開証言を行うようになったそうです。被害事例として、連行され抵抗した時に切り付けられた傷跡や、押し付けられたタバコの火での火傷跡などの写真が映し出されました。(尾澤邦子)

3 years for justice: Defend the “Tent City”!



The “Occupy the METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)” tent has continued for three years for a nuke-free society. The world’s longest-lasting “Occupy” tent has been a place for free speech for people demanding denuclearization and peace. There have been harassment and intimidation by right wingers, the police and the METI itself, but approximately 800 people came to the tent to reconfirm that they have continued the “Tent City”, which is a symbol against nukes, and will never allow the restart of a nuclear power plant in the future. The gathering was also joined by YOSHIZAWA Masami, who continues to manage a dairy farm in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture despite the danger of exposure, and others from nuclear disaster-stricken areas. The tent has stood for three years in front of the powerful METI. KAMATA Satoshi, a nonfiction writer, called this struggle for democracy a “great and historical struggle”. (MATSUMOTO Chie)


石の上にも三年~「テントひろば」を守ろう!経産省包囲行動に800

原発のない社会を求めて経済産業省前に座り込みをはじめてから3年。世界で最長寿のオキュパイテントは、脱原発や平和を求める市民の言論の場となってきた。これまで右翼や警察、そして経産省自体からも妨害があったが、9月11日の夜、およそ800人の市民が結集し、脱原発の象徴である「経産省前テントひろば」を守りぬいてきたことと、今後も原発の再稼働を許さないことを再確認した。集会には、福島県浪江町で被爆しながらも牧場経営を続ける吉沢正巳さんほか、原発地域からの参加もあった。石の上にも3年と経産省前に居座ってきた成果は大きい。ルポライターの鎌田慧さんは、非暴力を貫いた民主の抵抗を「偉大な闘い」だと呼んだ。(松元ちえ)
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Yamada Denki “won” the Most Evil Corporation of the Year Award: Lawlessness spreads to workplaces in all around Japan




On September 6, 2014, the “Most Evil Corporation of the Year Award Ceremony” was held in central Tokyo. Among 11 nominated companies and workplaces, Yamada Denki, one of the biggest mass retailers of electric appliances in Japan, “won” the grand prize. Despite that many store managers have committed suicide due to overwork and still many others are on the brink of karoshi, death of overwork, Yamada Denki has not shown any remorse for this terrible situation. The Industry Prize was “awarded” to A1-Pictures and Fuji Beauty (Takano Yuri Beauty Clinic). The Special Prize was “awarded” to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly for insufficient measures against sexual harassment. The “More Effort Needed” Prize was “awarded” to Zensho Holdings that manages Sukiya beef bowl restaurant chain. KAWAZOE Makoto, an executive committee member of the ceremony, commented, “It was very difficult to select relevant companies. Any of them was eligible for the grand prize. This shows the Labor Standards Act is widely violated and many companies are becoming more and more evil in Japan. The power of public opinion and trade unions is absolutely necessary to halt this negative tendency”. (M)
* Photo: “Yamada Denki”, the “winner”. Award received by an understudy



ブラック企業大賞に過労死続出の「ヤマダ電機」~日本中に広がる無法化

96日、東京・YMCAホールで「ブラック企業大賞授賞式」が開催された。ノミネート企業11社から大賞に選ばれたのは「ヤマダ電機」だった。過労自死が続出したが反省がなく、現在も過労死ラインの店長が多数いることなどが理由で、とくに悪質度が高いとされた。ウェブ投票でもダントツの5256票が寄せられた。また業界賞は、A1Picturesと不二ビューティー(たかの友梨)。特別賞は、東京都議会。要努力賞は、ゼンショー・ホールディングス(すき家)だった。実行委員の河添誠さんは「選考は難しかった。どの企業が大賞をとってもおかしくないくらい酷い労基法違反が蔓延しているからだ。日本中がブラック化している。これを食い止めるには世論の力、そして労働組合しかない」と講評した。(М)