On April 27 RENGO held the 73rd May Day Central Rally at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, under the general slogan of ‘Work for <Peace, Human Rights, Labor, and the Environment>in Solidarity with Workers. Realize a Welfare-oriented, Labor-centered Society and Make a Free, Peaceful World!’ Also at this time, RENGO carried out “Upbeat Demonstrations” and a “Get-In-Touch Festival” which were open to the general public and conducted in conjunction with the main ceremony. The organizers, along with participation from NPOs (Non-Profit Organizations) and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) for the first time, spiced up the rally making it a May Day that resonated with the people and one befitting the 21st century.

Photo: Children also help declare the rally open.

The Central Rally kicked off with an opening declaration by RENGO Deputy President Sakakibara, Kodomo Gekijo (Children’s Performing Arts) National Center in Japan staff member Ms. Aoyagi, Japan Platform (NPO: an international emergency assistance system) Public Relations Head Ms. Hosoi, and three children.
RENGO President Sasamori gave a speech representing the organizers. He criticized the Koizumi administration saying “last May Day, Prime Minister Koizumi told us that ‘the establishment of his administration was the same as a change in administration. If the Liberal Democratic Party will not change, then we will crush them.’ Although the PM dared to say so, what has been changed so far? Nothing.” He further asserted that “we know by the steep decline in his approval ratings that the nation has finally recognized the limitations of the Koizumi cabinet as an administration powerless to effect change.” Touching on the labor movement, he said, “we want people working in various ways—such as part-time and dispatched labor—to join the labor movement, expand our circle of solidarity, and join hands with NPOs and NGOs. Labor unions must become the driving force for building a new society.”
President Sasamori also touched on the bill for legislation of a legal framework for national emergencies. He said that, “people are showing a clear awareness of what national emergencies mean and are strongly concerned about the limiting of the people’s rights. The government should listen in earnest to the voice of the people.” He further disclosed that he is dead set against any attempt to railroad the bill at the current Diet session.

Photo: Dove-shaped balloons are released during the declaration of May Day

Representing the government, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Sakaguchi gave a speech that looked back on the year. “It has been a year that saw Government-Labor-Management making great headway against the severe employment situation.” In addition, he stated that “what we now seek is how to establish employment measures that are suitable to particular local regions. We want to make this year the starting point for the realization of local region-oriented measures, which will become the pillar of new employment measures.”
Regarding the work sharing issue, HLW Minister Sakaguchi displayed his desire to “want to solve problems with a mid to long term perspective, centering on how we can improve the Japanese labor environment’s tendency toward overtime.”

Democratic Party of Japan President Hatoyama, Social Democratic Party Leader Doi, Liberal Party Secretary General Fujii were present at the RENGO May Day Central Rally and each gave a speech. President Hatoyama stated that “it was an anguished year for the people. We will aim to achieve change of administration within the year.” Party Leader Doi said that, “Anyone can stand up for the strong. But it is the weak and troubled who must be given protection.” Secretary General Fujii mentioned “the fact that the unemployment rate is at a postwar record high is proof that the government has been making the worst economic policies since the end of the war.” Each criticized the Koizumi administration one after the other and disclosed their collective determination for a change of government.

Following that, Amnesty International Japan Vice Executive Director Ishihara, Japan International Volunteer Center Ogino, and a special guest—Federation of Trade Unions-Burma President Lla Oo, each gave a speech. Afterwards, the rally adopted the “Special Resolution to Break through Employment Crisis” and the “May Day Declaration” and closed with a solidarity shout of “Let’s do it!” which was led by President Sasamori.
Meanwhile, at the “Get-In-Touch Festival,” there were exhibitions by NPOs, NGOs, and other sponsors, a Kids Park where children could pet animals, food booths, a May Day Music Festival, a flea market, an Open Air Fun Bazaar, and much more.
This year there were 100,000 participants at the Central Rally and many families joined in the event held at Yoyogi Park where the festivities lasted well into the early evening.

May Day Declaration

On this day, we hereby declare the 73rd May Day Central Rally/Workers’ Festival officially open. Throughout May Day Week, which begins from April 27, May Day events will be conducted nationwide in 719 venues and with an anticipated 1.3 million workers participating. 100,000 participants gathered at the Central Rally. The world’s workers are surrounded by grave circumstances; terrorist attacks, tension and disputes, escalating ethnic/religious conflict, the arms race, and multiple nuclear testing. Likewise, a global environmental crisis, frequent human rights abuses including discrimination, hazing, physical abuse, and many other various challenges continue to emerge. Particularly here in Japan, the number of unemployed has now exceeded 3.5 million and in this prolonged recession, anxiety over jobs is increasing as the whirlwind of corporate bankruptcies and downsizing continues to rage. People's anxiety about living standards and the future have increased due to faulty medical care revision and a lack of radical reform of the social security system. Under these circumstances, RENGO chose “peace, human rights, labor, and environment” as key words for the new May Day of the 21st century. Our goal is to boldly challenge to achieve: abolition of nuclear weapons, a 21st century without war, a 21st century that places high value on human rights, a 21st century where global citizens live hand in hand, a just and fair society without worries over employment or the future. What RENGO’s labor movements must achieve today is to mobilize its 7.5 million union members in order to ‘change society’ as well as to ‘change Japan.’ In recent years, volunteer organizations, NPOs, and NGOs have been expanding and socially productive movements have become far more active. May Day is both an opportunity to reflect on the solidarity between labor unions and NPOs/NGOs as well as an indication of one direction of a new era of labor movements. In the spirit of NGOs, RENGO will generate new activities that are free, vigorous, and energetic. Friends of Workers Everywhere! At this 73rd May Day, we hereby declare that the “working people will revive Japan.” Rally around the RENGO flag! Through the solidarity of working people, let us tackle the problems of peace, human rights, labor, and the environment. Let us realize a welfare-oriented society centered on labor, and build a free, peaceful world! This we do hereby declare.