RENGO is conducting demand activities at each ministry so that its "Demands and Proposals for Policies/Systems" will be reflected in the government's budget compilation and policy management for the 2002 fiscal year. On July 11, RENGO submitted demands to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) in the presence of RENGO Vice President/Policy Committee Chairman Kusano, Vice President Tsuda, Vice President Morooka, Secretary General Sasamori and Directors from other related RENGO departments. MHLW Administrative Vice Minister Kondo, MHLW Vice-Minister of International Affairs Watanabe, Director-General of the Secretariat Togari and other related MHLW Bureau Directors-General were also in attendance.

Beginning June 22nd at the Ministry of Environment, Political Committee Chairman Kusano and Secretary General Sasamori led demand activities to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Financial Service Agency, the Cabinet Office, and the Ministry of Justice. RENGO demanded that the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare enact RENGO's Priority Policies consisting of 10 topics including: "the promotion of job creation measures with the central and local governments working together," "fortification of an employment safety-net and job skill development expansion," as well as early ratification of two ILO Conventions which have not yet been ratified in Japan.

From the outset, Kusano handed the demands statement to MHLW Administrative Vice Minister Kondo asking for consideration on employment issues, "we are concerned that structural reform with no exceptions may have a greater impact on employment." Kusano also stated that "uncertainties about the future are one of the biggest reasons surrounding sluggishness in consumption. We ask for your further efforts to establish a future vision and systems such as improved social security systems that can provide citizens with a sense of security."
Kondo responded, "the Ministry will actively work to solve the problems that might disrupt the lives of our citizens, through such issues as medical care system reform, employment policies, job skill development measures, and the consistent enforcement of child raising/nursing care support."
Each MHLW bureau replied as follows: (1) MHLW will consistently enforce the Gold Plan 21 (a new ten-year strategy to promote health care and welfare for the elderly) and the new Angel Plan (clarifying the basic direction for future child rearing support measures). (2) MHLW will put more teeth on guiding the compiling of/adherence to Article 36 (overtime/holiday work agreement) of the Labor Standard Law. (3) MHLW will establish a place to study the problem of indirect discrimination/differentiation . (4) MHLW believes it is not appropriate to switch the basic pension system to a taxation system in terms of "self help." (5) MHLW will work to implement radical reform of the medical care/medical care insurance systems in the 2002 fiscal year. (6)"Home-help" is anticipated to create 80,000 jobs annually and 400,000 jobs for five years.
The MHLW replied that it will also begin a survey of actual conditions for overworked "care-managers."

During the exchange of opinions regarding an employment safety-net, MHLW Employment Security Bureau Director-General Sawada said that "the biggest issue is what should be done to get these people employed again as soon as possible rather than the expansion of a provisionary period for employment insurance." RENGO Executive Director of Department of Working Conditions Matsuura pointed out that "those most likely to lose their jobs on a large scale due to the disposal of bad debts are the middle aged and seniors who will find it difficult to locate new jobs." He added an appeal to improve measures "although we are concentrating our efforts on early reemployment, the government should review the standard and management of the National Extension Provisionary System for benefits provided for in the Employment Insurance Law and establish a secure safety-net in the case of emergencies."
Finally, RENGO VP Tsuda sought for the continuation of talks stating that "the relationship of RENGO to the MHLW is that of a cheer leading squad to the players. Our policies should fundamentally coincide. We should unify our collective will" so saying, the meeting to exchange opinions was over.

RENGO will continue to conduct demand activities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Small-to-Mid Sized Enterprise Agency, and so on.