On the 17th, RENGO endorsed its stance on activities regarding the Koizumi administration at the 22nd Central Executive Committee Meeting. At the meeting, RENGO decided that Prime Minister Koizumi's anticipated address and his answers to questions from party representatives "do not show any details of concrete reform, and only make the citizens suffer more while emphasizing market supremacy and competitiveness." Moreover, RENGO clarified that "insofar as the actual conditions of 'reform' are different than what we have been demanding, there is no need to change our basic policy." Based on this, RENGO will institute nationwide unified actions on the 26th with an eye toward realizing a change of administrations through victory at the July elections for the House of Councilors.

1. AN EVALUATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE ADMINISTRATION

1. On April 26, the Koizumi Cabinet was established continuing the three-party ruling coalition (LDP, New Komeito Party, and the Conservative Party) framework. Various media immediately conducted polls which showed historically high support rates for the administration at approximately 80%. Being pulled along with this popularity, the LDP's support rates saw a return to the 30-40% levels on the one hand, while support levels for the Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition parties dipped.
   This exceedingly high approval rating for the new cabinet shows a strong expectation for reform on the part of the citizens in order to breakthrough their pent-up feeling of stagnancy. This is nothing more than a case of having popularity and image lead with nothing to show for it.
   
2. RENGO has been watching the Koizumi Cabinet to see what sort of party/cabinet members he would choose and what sort of policies he would impart. On the personnel side, he did his best to present an image of reform by adding women and younger members. On the political side, in his address on May 7 as well as his answers to questions from party representatives from May 9 to 11, not only did he fail to display any specific details of concrete reform but emphasized market supremacy and competitiveness which would only hurt citizens more. Even if one cites that "pain accompanies reform" still it is extremely unfair as it singles out workers one-sidedly and we can never accept this. It is becoming clear as time passes that no reform can be brought about from a political base that has relied on the LDP-New Komeito-Conservative coalition which has inherited the spirit of the LDP.
   
3. RENGO's policies are based on realization of policies rooted in working citizens and to enable that they seek a change in political administration by expanding bi-party political power. Especially, in the contemporary conditions, the most pressing priorities are expansion of job policies and the establishment of a social security system. On this point, LDP governments have not historically shown any prospects for reform. Judging from that, no matter how loudly the new administration shouts of "reform" so long as the actual conditions are different from the sort of politics that we have been demanding, RENGO sees no need to change its policies.
   

2. RENGO ACTIVITIES

(1) Responses to Government/Labor Meetings and Employment Promotion Councils
RENGO will pursue a principle of being fair and just with the government but as relations between the two have been abnormal since the last administration, it is necessary to normalize relations immediately. Therefore, RENGO hopes to hold a government/labor meeting as soon as possible and also petition to restart an employment promotion council between government, labor, and management.
Especially as it is expected that implementation of "emergency economic measures" drafted by the former administration will have significant impact on our work and family lives, RENGO will continue to seek all possible measures that focus on job policies and social security.

(2) "10 Million Member National Mass Action"
Due to shifts in the recent political situation, inquiries are coming in from affiliated organizations and local RENGO regarding the "We Don't Need This Sort of Government! 10 Million Furious Members Mass Actions" endorsed at the 21st Central Executive Committee Meeting and upon which these organizations and local RENGO have been working. As shown in "An Evaluation of Circumstances and the Administration" above, RENGO decided that there is no need to change its basic stance. Giving the slogans Break Through Work/Life Threatening Danger, Destroy Money for Influence Corruption Politics, Victory at the House of Councilors Election, RENGO strongly advances existing policies at all local RENGO and local councils and will seek success during the national unified actions on May 26.