75th Central May Day rally held

The pension reform bill, the central and most hotly-contested bill in the current session of the Diet, was passed on April 28 at a meeting of the House of Representatives' Committee on Health, Welfare and Labour, despite the strong resistance voiced by the opposition parties.

On the following day, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) held its 75th Central May Day rally at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. This year's slogan was "Workers unite to address issues related to peace, human rights, the environment, labor and a harmonious coexistence, create a labor-centered welfare society, and build a free and peaceful world." A special slogan, "Prevent the worsening of the pension program and create a secure and reliable system through fundamental reform" was also adopted.

Meanwhile, several Cabinet members were discovered to have neglected to pay their national pension premiums. In the midst of rigorous interrogation on the issue by the opposition, Representative Naoto Kan of the Democratic Party of Japan--Japan's largest opposition party--was also found to have neglected payment of his pension premiums, albeit for a brief period of 10 months. Kan, who gave a guest speech at the May Day rally, duly received harsh jeers from the crowd.

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) held its Central May Day gathering on May 1, also at Yoyogi Park--the first time in three years that the event was held there. The main slogan was "Workers unite to protect our livelihood and rights, and make Japan a peaceful, democratic, and neutral country." Other slogans called for an end to corporate downsizing and improvement of social security, as well as the withdrawal of Japan's National Defense Forces from Iraq.

The National Trade Union Council (Zenrokyo) also staged a May Day rally on May 1, in Tokyo and Osaka.

Despite efforts to lure more participants by increasing the number of events and attractions, participation in Rengo's rally declined by approximately 30,000 from last year, marking it the lowest turnout for a May Day event since the launch of the organization.