July 31, 2000

Kiyoshi SASAMORI
General Secretary
Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO)

RENGO has long called for an end to all violence against women and children, and in the past five years has focused our efforts on the1995 report "Request and Proposal for the Policy Toward Women -- Present Policy for Equality between the Sexes."

A recent Diet committee report included most of these ideas and those from a RENGO interim report of last April. These include calling for reinforcing the connection between ministries, and increasing involvement of medical institutes and regional NGOs as a support system including the finance.

RENGO will continue to demand integration among ministries on a national basis, regional connections among related local agencies, and coordination between national and local government agencies. We also demand this report will be put to good use, and its policy objectives pursued and fulfilled.