On April 11, President Sasamori and others submitted the "Ten Million Signature Drive to Demand Drastic Reform for a Safe Medical Care System and Oppose Burden Increases" to House of Representatives Speaker Watanuki and HOR Vice-Speaker Watanabe. This petition was conducted as a part of the General Action/Central Action and RENGO has been working at full strength on the signature drive since January. Consequently, by April 10, RENGO collected 7.75 million signatures---exceeding the number of its union members---the most since the RENGO was established. RENGO plans to serve a similar petition to the President of the House of Councilors as well.

Photo: President Sasamori (right) hands a written petition to House of Representatives Speaker Watanuki (center). House of Representatives Vice-Speaker Watanabe is next to Watanuki. (At the House of Representatives Speaker's official residence)

Photo: President Sasamori petitions Watanabe Vice-Speaker while demonstrators look on.

Photo: The most signatures gathered since RENGO was established.

House of Representatives Speaker Watanuki was petitioned at his official residence with Vice-Speaker Watanabe present. It is unusual for the Speaker to receive a petition in person. President Sasamori handed the written petition and a portion of the signatures contained in a cardboard box to the Speaker asking him to achieve seven items during the ongoing Diet session including the need to disclose necessary medical information to patients.

Vice-Speaker Watanabe was petitioned in front of the House of Representatives Members visitors area. Many lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, and the Liberal Party rushed in to show their support. President Sasamori served the written petition and a cardboard box of signatures to the Vice-Speaker, saying, "RENGO has collected these signature from all over the country in a full-scale effort to stop a worsening of the medical care system. The people’s hearts and souls are contained in those signatures." Responding, Vice-Speaker Watanabe answered "these are the sincere voices of workers. The National Diet exists to hear these voices. I would do all that I can so that the Diet receives the will of the nation."

The signatures were collected in over 460 cardboard boxes, which were loaded onto a large truck and unveiled before the Diet building where the sit-in was being conducted. Before the petition was submitted, President Sasamori said that, "in 1997, the public burden of medical costs was raised from 10% to 20% with a promise that a radical reform of medical system would be carried out. The Health and Welfare Minister at that time is our current Prime Minister Koizumi." Sasamori continued, "Five years have past and radical reform has still not been conducted. Nevertheless, they continue to say that they will increase the medical bill burden for all salaried workers from 20% to 30%. How long must we endure this?" Sasamori disclosed his determination in an appeal presented in front of 1,800 workers.