RENGO Representatives visited the Prime Minister’s Official Residence on July 18 as part of a activity demanding that the government recognize its “RENGO’s Demand for Priority Policies—Fiscal Year 2002-2003 Policies/Systems.” At the same time, RENGO asked that the government take action on the issue of basic rights for civil servants; the chairperson’s decision to seek improvement was confirmed at the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, International Labour Conference, ILO. Attendees from RENGO included Vice President Takagi, Vice President Maruyama, and General Secretary Kusano; representatives from the government included Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda, and Deputy Cabinet Secretary Fuseya. On the 17th, RENGO began a series of ‘demand activities,’ which were aimed at various ministries and agencies. The schedule of these activities is noted on the chart below.

Schedule of Demand Activities

Date	Targeted Ministries
July 17	Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
July 17	Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
July 19	Ministry of Finance
July 22	Cabinet Office
July 22	Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
July 30	Ministry of the Environment
July 30	Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
July 30	Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

•	Activities aimed at the Ministries of Justice, Public Management/Home Affairs/Posts and Telecommunications, and Foreign Affairs are still in the process of being scheduled.

Photo: VP Takagi (right) hands demands to Chief Cabinet Sec. Fukuda (left). (July 18, PM Official Residence)

Kicking off these activities, RENGO Vice President Takagi delivered an official statement of demands to Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda saying, “as we learned from the many voices expressed at opinion exchanges held in local areas during our recent Action Route 47, the job situation is extremely severe. The government should compile a supplementary budget, and conduct powerful measures in order to break this situation.”

Following that, Vice President Maruyama spoke on the following, regarding the civil service system issue. He strongly asked the government to consult with related unions to establish basic labor rights and adequately discuss matters with the involved parties before reporting the ILO according to the ILO’s International Labour Conference. He further appealed to them by saying, “the government should execute reform of the civil service system befitting that of a G8 member nation.”

General Secretary Kusano explained RENGO priority policies that seek: measures to improve the economy and job situation, expanding demand by decreasing sales taxes, promoting Work Sharing measures, medical care system reform, restoring civil servants’ basic labor rights in line with ILO Conference and establishing of a democratic civil servant system.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda responded to Kusano’s explanation while broaching the discussion held at the Council of Economic and Fiscal Policy the day before. He stated that the government should continue to promote structural and financial reform and that the Cabinet see hope in some aspect of the economy, it will actively promote Work Sharing and establish a Biotechnology Strategy Council which will seek to foster new industries, and so forth. Vice President Takagi responded to Fukuda’s remarks by pointing out that “the principles of the Council of Economic and Fiscal Policy have no consideration for small to mid-sized companies.” Furthermore, although Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda stated that “the Cabinet will study [the issue of civil servant system reform] in the spirit the demand was intended,” VP Maruyama strongly demanded that swift measures be taken.