2008-05-05
This is a solidarity letter from far across the Eurasian
continent, in
the far east, Japan.
The globalisation of neo-liberalism has been on a rampage
here in Japan
as well. It promotes and applauds severe competition
between people and
is ripping the society into pieces. Through the deflation
of the
Japanese economy in the 1990’s, management gain and
corporate dividends
have drastically increased. On the other hand, the
Japanese government,
with its call for the efficiency of administrative
services and
maintenance of corporate global competitiveness, has been
accelerating
the reduction of social security benefits and the form of
irregular
employment.
As a result, half of the young generation and women in
Japan face
irregular employment. With people getting hired everyday
and dismissed
everyday, living under unstable conditions without
unemployment benefit,
worker’s compensation, or medical insurance, ten million
people are now
not even able to gain the minimum income which is deemed
necessary for
survival. Furthermore, the Japanese government, which
looks upon
immigrants as criminals, has delegitimized the act of
working by those
who do not hold a Japanese nationality. While the Japanese
government
tolerates the incitement of racial exclusion by the right
wing, they are
forcing slave labor towards immigrant workers from
mainland Asia slyly
through internship programs.
Neo-liberalism promotes the internalization of the
management minds, and
is attempting to conceal the crisis by stripping the very
lives of
people. However, their conspiracy will certainly fail. The
breeding of
the precariat is forwarding the liaison with the breeding
of people who
will never synchronize with a flow that forces to give up
one’s freedom
and life.
In 2008, a number of 13 May Day actions that bravely
resist
neo-liberalism will take place throughout Japan.
Preparations for the
anti-G8 protests are also taking place. No longer can the
light of
resistance that has been lit be turned off.
This movement of the precariat, which accounts for the
vast majority of
the world, resisting isolation and seeking autonomy within
solidarity,
has already risen here in Tokyo as well.
Aachen is with Tokyo, and Tokyo is with Aachen.
Celebrating the success of EuroMayDay, in solidarity.
Freeter’s Union, Tokyo
MayDay 08 For Freedom and Lives, organisation committee