RENGO held "Central Discussion Conference on Policy and System 98/99" on 21 and 22 May. 700 participants attended at the Conference and "the 98/99 Demands and Proposals on Policy and System" was finalized. RENGO President, Mr. Washio, criticized the government at the opening by saying, "The structural reform should accompany deep care for the week side. The Hashimoto Cabinet's policy only rubs the feeling of this weak side up the wrong way." He also appealed to organize a movement to overthrow the Cabinet by winning the coming Upper House election. After the President, Mr. Sasamori, Secretary-General, reported the progress of the Diet deliberation on the Labor Standards Law. The discussion was made at 6 workshops in the afternoon of the first day. On the second day, Prof. Sawa of Kyoto University delivered a commemorative lecture. The 98/99 Demands and Proposals on Policy and System will be formally adopted at the 27th Central Committee on 9 June.

Gist of the RENGO's prioritized demands on policy and system

(Prioritized Sector 1)

Recover the economy and reform unfair taxation by 600 million yen tax cuts, 400 million yen benefit and 500 thousand employment generation.

1-1. Recovering the stagnant economy by measures for employment and stable life. Implementation of total 600 million yen tax cuts which includes 400 million yen income tax cuts mainly for education, housing and investment activities.
1-2. Correction of unfair taxation and introduction of general taxation and taxpayer numbering system. Establishing fairer taxation by introducing the general taxation system adopting the progressive taxation rate per the total income which includes financial incomes such as interests, allotment and income from the transfer of stocks.

(Prioritized Sector 2)

Establishing the safe and stable public pension system which upholds pensioners' basic livelihood.

2-1. Maintenance of the present framework of the combination of basic pension and benefit proportion.
2-2. Improvement of the balance, namely, proper burden and stable provision under the reform of the public pension system.

(Prioritized Sector 3)

Building up new work rules by stabilizing and generating employment, establishing fair work standard, securing employment for aged and establishing general policy for gender equal society.

3-1. Expansion of general policy toward stable employment.
3-2. Reconfirmation of the idea of industrial democracy and standardization and establishment of new work rule.
3-3. Realization of vital aged society and security of continuous employment up to the age of 60.
3-4. Expansion of general policy toward gender equal society.
3-5. Regulation of the basic craft law that is to rule craft industry and technology.

(Prioritized Sector 4)

Establishing stable medical security system and nurse servicing system for everybody.

4-1. Early realization of the drastic reform of the medical and medical insurance systems so that people can enjoy good medical services in the years ahead.
4-2. Expansion of welfare measures for the aged, smooth, fair and transparent implementation of nursing insurance systems.

(Prioritized Sector 5)

Changing the social economy system from mass production, consumption and abolition type into resource circulatory and energy saving type.

5-1. Strengthen measures against reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to the attainment of our goal set at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) in Kyoto, Japan.
5-2. Promotion of enhancing resource recycling actions to institute resource circulatory social economic systems.
5-3. Strengthen pollution control measures against chemical materials which effect ecosystem, such as dioxin.
5-4. Promotion of environmental protecting measures by private sector and fostering sound environment related industries.

(Prioritized Sector 6)

Changing the existing bureaucratic government into fair, transparent and reliable popular participated politics.

6-1. By the reforms of the central governmental ministries and agencies and the national financial and loan system, actualization of the new fair, transparent and popular participated simple and efficient administrative system with the responsibility in the stable and better life.
6-2. Total guarantee of civil rights and expansion of voting opportunity by the electorate, to promote citizen's participation in politics.
6-3. Securing the enough Diet deliberation open to citizens and promoting the Diet reform to enhance its checking facility in the administration.
6-4. Setting up the "Decentralization Promoting Program", construction of the system for local governments to be independent in the regional issues.
6-5. Early enactment of the information open law which ensures the right to know of individuals, and of the privacy protection law at the same time.

(Prioritized Sector 7)

Contribution to generate the international society that is with basic labor rights, human rights and environmental protection.

7-1. Early ratification of reciprocal pension accumulation agreement with Germany, and early conclusion of the same agreement with other European and American countries.
7-2. Strengthen environmental protection activity and labor security measures in Asian region. Mastery exchange and technical assistance at the level of trade unions in the above field by utilization of the Official Development Assistance (ODA).
7-3. Advocating to insert basic labor rights and environmental protection clause in the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), and execute its assessment on the national effect.
7-4. Advocating to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to pay serious attention to the condition of human rights, basic labor rights and the security of living and employment of the loan recipient countries.

Whole Structure of the 98/99 Demands and Proposals on Policy and System

Preface Part 1 Society which RENGO is after 98/99 Demands on Policy and System  1. Basic recognition on the present situation 2. Society which RENGO is after 3. 98/99 subjects to be demanded on policy and system Part 2 98/99 Political Themes (Pursuit of economic recovery, fair taxation system and sound industry) 1. Economic policy with price and consumer policy 2. Taxation reform 3. General industrial policy 4. Natural resources and energy policy (Stabilization and generation of employment and establishment of fair work rules) 5. Employment and labor policy 6. Gender policy 7. Small and medium enterprises policy (Establishing safe social security system) 8. Welfare and social security policy (Establishing life and environment friendly society) 9. Land and housing policy 10. Environment policy 11. Transportation policy 12. Food, agriculture, forestry and fishery policy 13. Education policy (Propulsion of political and administrative reforms and establishment of labor rights in international society) 14. Administrative reform 15. Political reform 16. Foreign policy Part 3 Toward Realization of Demands and Proposals on Policy and System RENGO's Key Demands on Policy and System