Photo: A wide range of participants filled the grounds. Yoyogi Park, Tokyo

On March 6, just before the peak of the Spring Struggle, RENGO held the National Rally to Break the Living Standard Crisis/Central Rally for the 1999 Spring Struggle under the main slogan "Invigorate All of Japan with Pay Hikes, Improved Employment, Economic Recovery and Social Security Reform!" Organizers hoped the rally would free the nation from the current living standard crisis, which is marked by a sluggish economy and high unemployment. 50,000 people gathered Yoyogi Park in Tokyo making this an event of the same scale as May Day. Each union will proceed with in-depth negotiations through the peak period of March 17 - 26.

President Washio, representing the organizers, began his speech by stating that blame for the current living standard crisis should be placed squarely on a government that enacted wrong policies and management that denied its own responsibilities. He then added, "To all those employers whose attitudes have worsened and refuse new employment or pay hikes I say, prepare for a strike."
He mentioned to the Dispatched Workers' Law and establishing working regulations that will have great influence on workers, and continued by reaffirming his determination that "we must win the next unified local election so that we may realize those policies that are most favorable to us."

Leaders from each party were in attendance at the rally. Democratic Party Leader Kan, Komeito Party Leader Kanzaki, Group Liaison Committee Chairman Shiota of the Liberal Party, Secretary General Fuchigami of the Social Democratic Party, and Reformer's Network Leader Ozawa all gave speeches.
Subsequently, on behalf of metal industry, President Kusano of the Confederation of Japanese Auto Workers' Unions (Jidosha Soren) declared his strong resolve. Likewise, President Takagi of the Japanese Federation of Textiles, Garments, Chemicals, Mercantile, Foods and Allied Industries Workers' Unions (Zensen), expressed his resolve on behalf of the chemical and textile industries and small to mid-sized industries.
Furthermore Kunio Hatoyama, who is planning to run in Tokyo gubernatorial election, rushed to the rally to make a speech.
At the end of the rally, the following appeal was adopted. "Whether or not we break the vicious cycle depends on our strength and actions. We will fight to the end to break the living standard crisis with broad solidarity." Then the participants marched in three separate demonstration courses, one group went to Shinjuku Children's Park, another to Meiji Park and another to Ebisu.