Photo: More than 300 signatures were collected.

On March 5, RENGO conducted the "10 million signature drive to demand drastic reform for a safe medical care system and to object higher burdens" street campaign in Yurakucho, Tokyo. 200 people including RENGO President Sasamori and lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party attended the campaign. Participants appealed to the passersby for signatures and directed their anger at the Koizumi Cabinet who is trying to push ahead by raising burdens without radical reform of the medical care system.

Sasamori spoke at the campaign saying, "only the working people are suffering the burden and we cannot stand anymore pain." He called out to passersby saying, "what will change politics now is the power of each and every citizen. Let us rise up and make a better world where we can live in peace."
Afterwards, House of Councilors member Takashi Yamamoto (Democratic Party), Tomoko Abe from the House of Representatives (Social Democratic Party), and Koji Sato from the House of Representatives (Liberal Party) each made an appeal. Upper House legislator Yamamoto criticized the Cabinet saying "in 1997, then Health and Welfare Minister Koizumi increased citizen's burden as a first step toward medical care system reform. He stated that he would conduct radical reform without fail until 2000 but did nothing. Now Koizumi is doing the same thing over again."
In conclusion, Sasamori summarized the street campaign and closed by stressing, "if the Koizumi administration is not working for the good of the people, then they should be removed as soon as possible. Do not be fooled any longer! Get mad as hell! Let us change politics".