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On July 3, DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama and Acting President Naoto Kan spoke at a street rally in Tsukiji. They vowed to bring about a change of government and a shift to politics that values people’s lives starting from Tokyo.
Hatoyama urged “Let’s change Tokyo and change Japan!” and added “Tsukiji is known around the world. When you think of Tsukiji, you think of its market. The governor of Tokyo and the metropolitan assembly are trying to change that. The market shouldn’t be moved to Toyosu where the soil is polluted.”
He went on, “We must not neglect even one person’s life. This country is a place where every day more than 100 people take their own lives. The government’s lack of policies is the reason. Let’s focus on building politics that does not neglect people’s lives rather than building concrete blocks and public works projects. Today is the first day [toward realizing this goal]. The dawn of a world where politics values people above concrete has come.” Then he directly addressed the assembled people, saying “Let’s claim back Tokyo!”
Kan stressed, “The curtain has risen on the historic battle of 2009.” He added, “Shinginko Tokyo (the New Bank of Tokyo) into which more than 150 billion yen has been lavished is clearly strange. Let’s sweep from the Metropolitan Assembly the people who are displaying posters of themselves together with Governor Ishihara and the people who share the same opinion as Governor Ishihara.”
He went on to call for a change of government, saying, “Let’s change politics starting from Tokyo. 16 years ago, the Hosokawa government was born. It lasted just 8 months. I would like President Hatoyama to serve as Prime Minister for at least 5 years” and urged, “Let’s make 2009 a year to remember. I would like you all to participate in a gigantic shift in Tokyo politics and in national politics.”
DPJ member of the House of Councillors Suzuki Kan acted as the MC for the street rally, and Japanese Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Nobuaki Koga vowed, “The JTUC will also make every effort toward making Tokyo a safe and secure city.”
Finally, the head of the DPJ branch in Tokyo No 2 district, Yoshikatsu Nakayama touched on the significant of holding the street rally in Tsukiji, saying, “It is proof that the DPJ is aiming for a politics that will value people’s lives.”
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