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On April 26, the 85th May Day rally was held by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. The guest speakers were larger in number than the average year, and in addition to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, included representatives of all the political parties apart from the Japan Communist Party. DPJ President Banri Kaieda attended on behalf of the DPJ and addressed the gathering.
Rengo President Nobuaki Koga made a speech on behalf of the organisers, explaining, "This May Day we have decided to issue a broad invitation to all the political parties. That is because we would like each party to listen seriously to the voices of workers, and carefully consider what actions politicians should take from now on. Usually, May Day takes place in quite a peaceful atmosphere as a festival for workers, but this year's May Day has been convened as part of our campaign to 'Stop Our Unequal Society, and Realise a General Improvement in Lifestyles', with the view of putting a stop to the proposed revisions which would worsen rules regarding worker protection."
Kaieda commented, "Prime Minister Abe said a variety of things to you just now, but his true feeling is that he 'would like to make Japan into the easiest country in the world for corporations to operate in.' The DPJ will make clear its opposition to revisions to the Worker Dispatch Law which would increase the numbers of 'lifelong temporary workers' employed on low wages, and the implementation of 'limited regular workers', 'dismissal through financial settlement' and 'white collar exemptions' which would force workers to undertake unpaid overtime. In order to escape from deflation, it is important for us to ensure that wages, including those of our fellows employed by small and medium-sized enterprises and in the regions, rise in line with price increases, protect the rights of irregular workers, and realise the correction of disparities, stable employment and the enhancement of social security. The DPJ will take a tough stance in opposing proposed revisions that would negatively affect employment legislation, the proposed unrestrained reinterpretation of the Constitution relating to use of the right to collective self-defence, and historical
revisionism based on a distorted view of history."
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