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2015/04/29
86th May Day Appeal
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On April 29, DPJ President Katsuya Okada issued the following message for the 86th May Day Rally in Tokyo.
86th May Day Appeal
On this 86th May Day, I would like to deliver a message of solidarity on behalf of the Democratic Party of Japan. Our party stands with working men and women, and aims to create a secure society which is founded on work, a society that gives young people hope for the future. We believe that improvements in wages and working conditions, stable employment, and the establishment of rules that will make it possible for people to find a work-life balance while maintaining both physical and mental health will lead to a vibrant Japan and the rebirth of our economy.
However, the Abe administration, rather than striving for a work-style that makes people feel secure and gives them hope for the future, is doing exactly the reverse, proceeding with revisions that will weaken employment legislation. During the current Diet session, the government is attempting to implement revisions to weaken the Worker Dispatch Law that are likely to increase the number of people forced to work for low wages as lifelong dispatch workers, as well as legislative revisions involving wide-ranging deregulation of controls on working hours that would inevitably increase the damage to worker health from long working hours. These proposed revisions include the introduction of the so-called white-collar exemption, which would exempt highly-skilled professionals from work-hour regulations, and the expansion of the discretionary working hours system. Last year, on two separate occasions, the DPJ joined forces with the Japanese Trade Union Confederation to force the scrapping of legislation that would have worsened the provisions of the Worker Dispatch Law. This Diet session is a crucial battleground in this struggle, and we intend to fiercely oppose the ruling parties and put a stop to attempts to weaken labor legislation.
Furthermore, the DPJ will work to realize equal treatment for irregular workers, by raising their pay levels until they are equivalent with those of regular workers. We will also enhance employment measures aimed at young people.
As we approach the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law, we will use this opportunity to promote the elimination of gender inequalities in pay and working conditions, the appointment of women to management positions, and the prevention of workplace harassment.
On this landmark 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, the DPJ will continue to stress the importance of our Constitution’s pacifist philosophy and of upholding the principle of exclusively defensive security. The Abe administration has made a drastic change in our national security policy, and is on the verge of committing to the use of force by the Self Defense Forces overseas. It is unforgivable for them to distort the shape of Japan’s post-war pacifism, without any explanation to the public, and based on a change in the interpretation of the Constitution that runs counter to constitutionalism. The DPJ will first prioritize the establishment of a territorial defense law for dealing with current threats, based on changes in the environment surrounding Japan. We will engage in careful and deliberate discussions of new security legislation with the Japanese people.
The DPJ will aim to enhance the lives of people living in the regions, and will aim for the revitalization of Japan, starting with the rejuvenation of the regional communities where individuals around Japan live their daily lives.
I would like to end this May Day Appeal by vowing to join hands with workers to promote a politics that values people.
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