On January 6, RENGO held its 2003 New Year’s party at a hotel in Tokyo. In his speech, RENGO President Sasamori decisively expressed his resolution to shed traditional movements and develop a new movement that discards facades and honestly obtains answers. Sasamori stressed that he will advance this new movement that will specialize in solving employment problems saying, “I will do anything, go anywhere, talk to anyone if it will help secure employment.”
1100 people from the labor, political and business fields, and non-profit organizations attended the party. Guests included Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Sakaguchi; Nippon-Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) Vice Chairman Shibata; Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Yamasaki; Democratic Party of Japan President Kan; New Komeito Party Representative Kanzaki; Social Democratic Party Secretary General Fukushima; Liberal Party Secretary General Fujii; and New Conservative Party Representative Kumagai.

Photo: New pledges made during the breaking of a barrel of ceremonial sake. (Tokyo, 6th)

On behalf of organizers, RENGO President Sasamori gave a speech saying, “This is the first new year since RENGO was founded that I have felt such a pessimistic atmosphere about the future.” Calling on attendees Sasamori said that it was high time that the government, labor, management tripartite return to basics and each play their roles to the fullest to solve the employment problems in this state of emergency. Regarding RENGO’s movements, Sasamori pleaded, “let us discard facades which have traditionally occupied a large part of movements so far and develop a new movement that honestly seeks answers.” He again stressed that RENGO should get rid of conventional thinking and behavior patterns, be brutally frank with ones counterparts, and focus only on solving employment problems. Further, disclosing that he will attend the Liberal Democratic Party’s Convention on January 16, he said “I will do anything, go anywhere, talk to anyone if it would secure employment.” Clarifying that RENGO is not getting cozy with the administration or authority, he explained that “the labor movement’s lifeline is to secure employment. In order to fulfill this idea, I will extend responses to any political party, ruling or opposite regardless.” He ended his speech by resolutely saying, “I will do my best to lead RENGO during this year when labor unions need to show their real underlying strength.”

HLW Minister Sakaguchi, one of the guests of honor, gave a speech saying, “it is necessary to consider employment measures not only within the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare as we have conventionally, but also to tackle them together with government, labor, and management.” Further, he said that pension problems were on the year’s major challenges, “this year we should settle the future status of pensions, including their funding sources.” Nippon-Keidanren Vice Chairman Shibata stated, “Nippon-Keidanren believes that we have been attempting to carry on discussions on labor problems with RENGO from the same position and standpoint. We want to continue a dialogue together as partners.”
Prime Minister Koizumi was unable to attend the party but sent a prepared message, which was read to those in attendance, “it was a milestone that government, labor and management reached an agreement to work together for employment problems in united effort.”