SOLIDARITY MESSAGE TO THE MAY 1 RALLIES

Task Force on Big Earthquake Disaster in Eastern Japan, Northeastern ZENROKYO (National Trade Union Council)

We would like to extend our solidarity message from Northeastern region of Japan, to all the workers in the May 1 rallies.

Last March 11 the big earthquake and tsunami attacked the Pacific coast of the Northeastern region, and destroyed the vast areas. It is allegedly caused by extensive crustal movement which was 500 kilometers broad from north to south, and 200 kilometers from east to west. The death and missing toll has reached almost 30,000, and is increasing day by day. 130,000 sufferers still live in the evacuation centers. The weak people in the stricken areas, like hospitalized patients, in-home patients, and people in the nursing homes, now live in extreme anxiety under rampant aftershocks and suffer from the continuous “second damage.” Not only sooner relief and recovery of living conditions, but revitalized hope, solidarity, and symbiosis to survive are required as well. Along the coast areas which used to be one of the most abundant fishing ground in Japan, countless houses, together with fishing industry, marine-product industry, agriculture were destroyed, and so many public institutions were lost that local government faculty was vastly damaged.

Further, the violent quake and huge tsunami hit the nuke power plants built on the coasts of Northeastern and Northern Kantoh regions, northeastern part of Japan. The Fukushima No.1 nuke power plant was severely damaged. Owing to the misjudgment and mishandling by the TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Corporation), Nuclear Safety Commission, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), and the Japanese government, it was declared to be under serious nuclear crisis at level 7. The DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan)-led Kan administration failed to order timely evacuation, to cope with radioactive pollution, and to work out with local governments, which has put residents in despair and anger. We hence demand the DPJ government to tackle with its all might and solve the nuke plant disaster as soon as possible.

It is obvious that the pro-nuke position of the previous successive LDP(Liberal Democratic Party) administrations and the business elites,should be condemned. The president of Japan Business Federation had praised the Japanese nuke plants, saying that Japanese nuke plants are so excellent that they can survive the tsunami,' and, after the disaster, the president is quoted as saying thatthe safety standard of the government was too loose’ and that the government should take responsibility for the compensation of the nuke plant disaster': he is protecting TEPCO and radioactive industry and defending the nuke-energy policy. The truth is that there have been researchers who cautioned against danger of the big earthquake and tsunami, and, in particular, the danger of the Fukushima No.1 Power Plant have been pointed out by many people. We should not allow the politicians, business circle, and commentators to evade the responsibility on the pretext that the disaster wasbeyond anticipation.’

Hence, let’s confront and contain the business circle, electric power industry, nuke-plant-related industry, METI (The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry), university/academy, mass media which have been promoted nuke power plants. In solidarity with people of the world over, let’s set to change the society into one without nuke power plants.

Let’s not allow the politically motivated move to take advantage of the rehabilitation' process. We should counter those proposals which seek to 'take this chance to change the agriculture of the Northeastern region in accordance with U.S.-led TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) frame' or 'reconsolidate the current local governmental system of prefectures and municipalities into larger administrative units.' Let's advance various kind of activities to protect livings and jobs of workers who are exposed to massive dismissal by rampant shutdown, bankruptcy in the stricken region, and increasing arbitrary dismissal by the excuse of the disaster nationwide. Lastly, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to plenty of encouragement and support from Japan and the world over. We know it will take long time and much effort from now on, but the people in the stricken areas have risen up in the ruin and started to rebuild their livings, labor, industries and communities. We Northeastern-ZENROKYO share the sense of despair and hope with stricken residents and will proceed onward. In sincere hope for successful May 1 Rally andUnity of the Workers of the World.’

May 1, 2011