Photo: Chant demanding revision of the proposal.

  On September 18, RENGO held a rally to protest the proposal by "the Regulatory Reform Council" in front of the No.4 Joint Government Building where the Cabinet Office of Japan is located. The rally was conducted to protest of the proposal on employment and labor field in the "Interim Report on 6 Key Areas" and to demand its revision. The Cabinet Office's Regulatory Reform Council disclosed the Interim Report on July 24. After the rally, a RENGO hearing took place conducted by the secretariat of the Council which is continuing its deliberations without members from labor side.

  Speaking from the roof of a loudspeaker van, Secretary General Sasamori began by mentioning the fact that there are no members representing labor on the Regulatory Reform Council. SG Sasamori condemned the Council for "deliberating only with those who want to include <conveniences> into the bills and system revisions." He strongly appealed that "we should not increase the number of unemployed nor should we deteriorate work rules any further. I want you to have a common sense of purpose in that right now, RENGO has been asked to stop the government and employers' unreasonable behavior."
  Department of Working Conditions Executive Director Matsuura pointed out the five problems in the Council's proposals regarding employment and labor namely: (1) extension of the contract employment period, (2) expansion of a discretionary work system, (3) expansion of the range of general dispatched labor, (4) disclosure of dismissal standards where work rules worsened, (5) exemption of white color workers from the Labor Standard Law, etc. Executive Director Matsuura emphasized that "RENGO has a social responsibility to make rules not only for organized workers but also for unorganized workers." Stating that "we will make a strong push for activities to correct those problems in future," he went into the meeting with the Regulatory Reform Council Secretariat.
  Afterward, representatives of CSG RENGO (Japanese Federation of Chemical, Service and General Trade Unions), SABISU-RYUTSU RENGO (Japan Federation of Service and Distributive Workers Unions) and ZENKOKU-IPPAN (National Union of General Workers) presented workplace and regional reports. Following those reports, RENGO Headquarters Vice President Kusano displayed his commitment saying, "The real struggle has yet to come. Let us fight against those issues with all our might."
The rally then closed with a powerful three-part cheer led by SG Sasamori.