Saturday, December 20, 2014

Striking Degradation in Education Environment: What's happening in schools in Fukushima?




Futaba-gun County of Fukushima Prefecture is located within 30 km distance from the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant. The residents had to evacuate after the devastating accident of March 2011. All the elementary and junior high schools in the county were closed then. When schools were reopened later either at the original schools or in the municipalities where the town/village offices moved to, only about 10% of children returned: Before the nuclear accident, a total of 6397 pupils were attending schools in 8 municipalities of the county, but only 657 returned to the reopened schools. Schools in Kawauchi-mura Village and Hirono-machi Town were reopened with the original buildings, but in other 6 municipalities, classes are still held in make-shift buildings  on premises of closed factories,  prefabricated buildings build beside damaged original school buildings or buildings of old schools that had been closed for some time before the accident. Children attending these schools are left in extraordinary poor education environment.  The teachers' union of Fukushima Prefecture is making much efforts to improve working conditions and education environments of schools in Fukushima, particularly those in Hamadori, the region closest to the crippled nuclear power plant. One of the executive committee members is responsible for issues related to the nuclear disaster. (By YUMOTO Masanori. Yomoto interviewed HINO Akira, the executive committee member of Fukushima Teachers' Union in charge of nuclear disaster related issues on Dec. 5. ) 
 Photo: HINO Akira

 福島県双葉郡の学校はどうなっているのか?~教育環境は著しく低下

福 島県双葉郡は、福島第1原発か20km、30km圏にあり、震災後は避難を強いられた地域である。郡内の小中学校は、震災直後は休校を余儀なくされた。そ の後は、役場機能が移転した先等で次々に開校した。再開後の児童、生徒数は8町村合計657名(震災前6397名)である。しかし学校再開といっても元の 学校での開校は8町村中川内村と広野町のみであり、ほかの町村では工場跡地利用、プレハブ校舎、廃校の跡地利用となり教育環境が著しく低下した中での開校 となっている。また、再開後の学校に戻った児童生徒数は、震災直前の1割程度となっている。福島県教職員組合では特別執行委員として「原発災害対策担当」 を置き、原発に至近距離の福島県浜通りの学校の労働条件、教育環境の改善に取り組んでいる。今回、原発災害対策担当の日野彰さん(写真)に双葉郡の学校の 現状を聞いた。(湯本雅典) 報告動画(YouTube 4分)


State Secrecy Law takes effect; Civil society vows to keep on fighting.




The controversial state secrets law took effect on Dec. 10. A series of protests were staged during the week with large numbers of participants.

On Dec. 6, the anniversary of the historic steamrolling of the bill at the Diet in 2013, 1600 citizens gathered for a rally held in a park in central Tokyo. Upper House member KIRA Yoshiko of the communist party was the only Diet member who joined the rally because of the on-going Lower House election campaign. The guest speaker, Prof. AOI Miho of the Graduate School of Gakushuin University, said that the citizens opposing the law should continue raising voice against it to deter the government.  TAIRA Aika, an Okinawan member of a co-sponsor organization of the rally, urged the attendees by saying, "When Okinawa was returned to Japan, we, Okinawan, joined the people of the country who have the Article 9 of the Constitution, who had declared that they would renounce the war forever. The secrecy law is to allow the government to do whatever they want to do. This is absolutely unacceptable. We will be able to defeat the government in the end if only we continue fighting till we win.  Let's keep on fighting!"  KAIDO Futaba of the lawyers group taking measures against the law said that the law must be abolished to save democracy and freedom. (By OZAWA Kuniko)

In the evening of Dec. 9, more than 1000 gathered in front of the prime minister's office for a protest action called by a group of university students, Students Against Secrets Protection Law (SASPL). "When the law was enacted, some people said it was the end of democracy in this country. Even so, we cannot just give up and accept it. We cannot give up freedom and human rights. The secrecy law, the collective self-defense right, the collapse of the parliamentary democracy- The government of this country is indeed hopeless, but, for good or bad, we are still able to raise our voice against it.  We are able to keep on fighting. They say it was the end. Then we say 'We will begin.' We say so again and again!" said one of the young protesters.  (By NISHINAKA Seiichiro)   

On Dec. 10, the day the law came into effect, a protest was staged in front of the prime minister's office. Responding to the call by the citizens' committee aiming at the abolishment of the state secrecy law,  more than 360 people gathered for the action despite the cold and windy weather. The protesters were tense and angry. "I have participated in many protest actions since before the bill was enacted a year ago. The law is to prepare for the war. It will deprive the people of the right to know and kills democracy. It must be abolished. One of the main objectives of the law is to intimidate citizens opposing government policies, but I will not allow them to silence us. I will never give up!" said a woman who was raising voice in the front line just behind the banner. Many reporters were there as well. The organizer told the participants that they were working to build a strategy to confront the cases of suppression on media that are likely to take place in the future. (By M)     

秘密保護法が施行 闘いの継続を誓う

 12月6日、強行採決から1年「秘密保護法」施行するな!12.6大集会が日比谷野外音楽堂で開かれ、1600人 が参加しました。衆議院の選挙戦真っ最中であり、議員発言は吉良よし子参議院議員(共産党)のみでした。ゲスト発言は、学習院大学大学院教授の青井未帆さ ん。「私たちの声を抑止力にしていきましょう」と話していました。協賛団体からの発言で、「解釈で憲法9条を壊すな!実行委員会」の平良愛香さんは「沖縄 は、憲法9条を持つ国、戦争を放棄する国に復帰した。国がやりたいようにできる秘密保護法は許さない。必ず勝つ方法は、勝つまで続けること。がんばろ う!」と檄をとばしました。また秘密保護法対策弁護団の海渡双葉弁護士は「民主主義と自由のために秘密法は廃止しかない」と話しました。(尾澤邦子)

昨年12月6日の夜中、連日国会議事堂を取り巻いていた数千、数万人の民意を無視して強行採決された「特定秘密保 護法」が、10日から施行されるのに反対して、12月9日夜、首相官邸前に1000人を超える人々が集まった。「この法律が可決されて、ある人は『民主主 義は終った』と言いました。しかし、こんなことであきらめることはできません。自由と権利をあきらめるわけにはいかないのです。特定秘密保護法、集団的自 衛権、議会制民主主義の崩壊。絶望の国で、幸福か不幸か私たちはこうして声を上げることができます。闘い続けることができます。終っていると言うなら、始 めるぞってことです。何度だって言ってあげましょう!」(西中誠一郎)

 秘密保護法が施行された12月10日昼、「秘密保護法」廃止へ!実行委員会が呼びかけた「官邸前抗議行動」が取り 組まれた。寒風のなか360人以上が集まった。人々の表情には張り詰めた緊張感と怒りがあった。横断幕の先頭で声を上げていた女性は、「去年の成立する以 前から反対運動に参加している。この法律は戦争準備するためのもので、知る権利が奪われ民主主義が破壊される。絶対廃止しなければいけない。法律の目的の 一つが、国民の運動を萎縮させることだが、それには負けないで頑張りたい」ときっぱり語った。この日はマスコミも数も多かった。主催者からは、「今後予想 される秘密保護法によるメディア弾圧事件に対抗する態勢づくり」が進められていることが報告された。(M) 

Labornet TV reports freelance journalists' legal action against State Secrets Law




The last program of Labornet TV for the year 2014 was aired in the evening of Dec. 10, the day the secrecy law took effect. Anchor MATSUMOTO Chie came to the studio after participating in the protest in front of the prime minister's office. The program featured a lawsuit filed against the state secrecy law. The plaintiffs, 43 freelance journalists, argue that the law is unconstitutional. TERASAWA Yu, one of the plaintiffs, and YAMASHITA Yukio, one of their lawyers, reported that the court had accepted their complaint and they had already started presenting arguments on the unconstitutionality of the law.  They also told that many people came to the court to witness the hearings so that the most recent session was held in a larger courtroom. "All the plaintiffs of this case have been disclosing corruption in police, self-defense forces, nuclear energy and other government offices and policies. We are the very target of the secrecy law: It was made to restrict the activities of freelance journalists and to crush us eventually. This is why we have gone for litigation," said Terasawa. (By Labornet TV Project) 

 フリーランスは「秘密保護法」に反撃!~レイバーネットTVで違憲訴訟とり上げる

12 月10日のレイバーネットTVは今期(9~12月)最後の放送だった。この日は「秘密保護法施行日」。松元ちえキャスターも昼の官邸前抗議行動に参加して から、スタジオ入りした。特集「ダメよ~ダメダメ、秘密保護法」のゲストは、秘密保護法違憲訴訟をたたかうジャーナリストの寺澤有さんと弁護団の山下幸夫 さん。運動の盛り上がりの中で、「この裁判が門前払いにならず、本格的憲法論争に入りつつある。法廷も大法廷に変更になった」と報告があった。寺澤さんは 「今回提訴したフリージャーナリスト43人は警察・自衛隊・原発など権力の不正を暴いてきた人ばかり。秘密法の狙いはこうしたフリーランスの取材を規制し つぶすことにある。だからこそ立ち上がった」と語った。アーカイブでご覧ください。(レイバーネットTVプロジェクト) 



Statement by Occupy Tents at Economy Ministry impeaches forcible "closure" of trial declared by Tokyo District Court




In the lawsuit that the Japanese Government filed in April 2013 against members of the anti-nukes occupy tents in front of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, demanding clearance of the venue and payment of 11 million yen for the use of the state-owned land, the 9th hearing session was held on Dec. 3 at the Tokyo District Court.  In addition to the defendants, 6 of 43 self-declared stake-holders including some women from Fukushima were admitted to participate in the proceeding. One of those six, KAMEYA Yukiko, a former resident of Futaba-machi living in Tokyo now as an evacuee, delivered a 15-minute long moving statement. Immediately after the spectators were moved to tears with Kameya's statement, the presiding judge MURAKAMI Masatoshi announced to take 5-minute break for judges' meeting out of the courtroom.  After the break, Judge Murakami dismissed requests from defendant's lawyers for examination of evidences and witnesses and instantly muttered that no more argument sessions would be held. The judges then hurriedly walked off without even declaring adjournment. The drastic development of the case took place just in seconds after the break.  (Excerpt from the statement by the occupy tents dated Dec. 4 )
Photo: The occupy tents, a symbol of anti-nukes movement 

 経産省前テントひろば声明:東京地裁によるテント裁判“結審”強行を弾劾する

12 月3日、東京地裁大法廷にて、テント裁判第9回口頭弁論が行われた。今回の口頭弁論では、前回法廷で、当事者参加を申し立てた43名のうち、福島の女性た ちをはじめとする6名が法廷内に入り、福島県双葉町で3・11事故に遭遇し、現在も都内に避難している亀屋幸子さんの感動的な陳述が15分にわたって行わ れた。法廷をうめる多くの人々が涙ながらに聞き入った。ところがその直後に、村上正敏裁判長(民事37部)は、「合議のため、5分間休憩します」といい、 3名の裁判官は合議室に消えた。そしてこの「休廷」ののち、裁判長は、弁護士の証拠・証人調べ請求を却下、続いて間髪を入れず「今回の法廷で弁論は終わり ます」とつぶやき、閉廷を宣言することもなくそそくさと姿を消した。一瞬の出来事だった。(声明より) 続き *写真=脱原発のシンボル「テントひろば」

Monday, December 15, 2014

Protesters surround oden of secrets~Action to stop enactment of secrets law




 The secrets law, loaded with troubles, has generated over 24,000 public comments. Nevertheless, the Abe administration is going to forcibly enact it on Dec. 10. In the early afternoon of Nov.18, over 130 people protested in front of the Diet Building and at the “secrets law preparatory office building” of the Cabinet Office. SUGIHARA Koji, the executive committee member of anti-secrets law, shouted through a megaphone, “December 10 is Human Rights Day. The government is challenging the world by enacting the worst law that abuses human rights on that day,” Sugihara said. Protesters surrounded the government building, which housed the preparatory office, for the first time. “KITAMURA Shigeru, the ‘Eichmann in the prime minister's office,’ and his men are pushing the enactment of the law,” he said. “They refuse to tell us what floor the office is on. It’s a suspicious building.” Against this “oden of secrets,” protesters called out as loud as possible, “Stop the secrets law that leads Japan into war.” In the same afternoon, the Democratic Party of Japan and the Innovation Party also brought in a bill to postpone the enactment of the secrets law. The executive committee of anti-secrets law is calling for a big rally at Hibiya Park on Dec. 6, action in front of the prime minister's office on Dec. 10 and indignant judgment on the general election on Dec. 14.(M)
Youtube

ヒミツの巣窟「準備室」ビルを取り囲む~秘密保護法施行するな!アクション 
問 題だらけの法律「秘密保護法」には、2万4千をこえるパブリックコメントが寄せられている。にもかかわらず安倍政権は、12月10日に施行を強行しようと している。11月18日昼、130人を超える人々が国会正門前と内閣府「秘密保護法準備室」に対して、抗議の声を上げた。実行委員の杉原浩司さんは「12 月10日は世界人権デー。この日に人権侵害の最悪の悪法を施行する日本政府は、世界に対する挑戦だ!」とマイクで訴えた。「準備室」は中央合同庁舎8号館 にあり、今回初めてこのビルを取り囲んだ。「ここで“官邸のアイヒマン”といわれる北村滋氏らが施行準備を進めている。どの階に準備室があるかも教えない 怪しい建物だ」と杉原さん。この「ヒミツの巣窟」に向かって参加者は「戦争準備の秘密法をやめろ!」と精一杯のコールをぶつけた(写真)。またこの日の午 後、民主・維新も「延期法案」を提出した。実行委員会は、12/6日比谷大集会、12/10官邸前行動、12/14総選挙での怒りの審判、を呼びかけてい る。(M)
 動画(YouTube 3分)