Rengo 2025 New Year's Reception

The event was a great success, with guests including Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi, various political parties, the Vice-Chairman of the Japan Business Federation, and ambassadors from various countries. I hope that the Japanese economy will also improve. The following is a speech by Tomoko Yoshino, Chairperson of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation.

Happy New Year everyone!

Today, we are pleased to have Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi, representatives of each party, Vice Chairman of Keidanren, and many others in attendance. Thank you very much. Last year, we held this New Year's exchange party as a New Year's mutual respect party in response to the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred on New Year's Day. This year, we have had a peaceful New Year, and we pray that there will be no major disasters throughout the year. The Noto Peninsula was also hit by a major earthquake on New Year's Day and heavy rains in the fall. At the beginning of the year, we sincerely hope that recovery and reconstruction will be achieved as soon as possible, so that everyone in the affected areas can live peaceful lives. We ask for the continued efforts of the government, the business community, and the labor community. The RENGO will continue to stand by the affected areas.

Well, this year will be a year of several milestones.

First, in relation to climate change, it has been 40 years since the Villach Conference, which brought global warming to international attention, and 20 years since the Kyoto Protocol came into force. Looking back at last year, there is probably a strong impression of a very hot summer and winter coming before we could even feel autumn. Some people worry that the change of seasons will become less clear and that we will only have two seasons, summer and winter. Responding to the issue of climate change is a major challenge in terms of creating a sustainable society and protecting our lives and culture.

The second is that it has been 30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

5:46am, January 17, 1995. Even though 30 years have passed, we will never forget this disaster. I believe there are people here who experienced the disaster firsthand. 1.38 million volunteers worked, marking the beginning of full-scale volunteer activities in Japan, and it was also called the first year of volunteering. 5.5 million volunteers worked in the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, 110,000 in the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2015, and 160,000 in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake for the disaster-stricken areas. There may be a limit to what each individual can do, but the activities of volunteers so far have proven that "joining forces" can become a great force. Solidarity and mutual assistance are the foundation of the labor movement. In addition, there is also a word in the labor movement called "united hearts." I believe that many challenges await us this year, but let's overcome them by "joining forces" and "uniting hearts."

The third point is that it has been 40 years since the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was enacted.

The gender environment has progressed little by little, including in terms of laws. However, culture and customs, especially the idea of gender role division, remain deeply rooted. As a result, even 40 years after the law was enacted, Japan's gender gap index was 118th out of 146 countries as of last year. In particular, it ranks overwhelmingly low in the fields of politics and economics. Rather than talking about improvements only from the perspective of economic and political interests such as population decline and labor shortages, let us make this a year in which we face this issue from the perspective of respecting the human rights of each and every person born into this world, as well as those of your family, friends, and loved ones.

The final milestone is 80 years since the end of the war.

At the end of last year, the Japan Confederation of A-bomb Victims Organizations was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Representative committee member Tanaka Hiromi's acceptance speech was delivered around the world in a matter-of-fact tone, filled with a tranquil, intense emotion backed by 70 years of activities. Earlier, Jørgen Watne Fridnes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the following in his speech: "Memory can imprison us in a cage in our minds and prevent us from moving forward. On the other hand, memory can also provide an opportunity for a new life. It can protect us from the temptation of forgetting, and at the same time, it can be a way to pay tribute to those who suffered." With the passage of time since the last war, roughly the same as a human lifetime, and memories slowly fading, we would like to work hard in this turning point year to "protect ourselves from forgetting" and "pay tribute to those who suffered," in order to avoid making the same mistake again.

In conclusion, the environment, volunteering, gender equality, and peace all come down to nurturing human resources.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Showa era, and we should remember the teaching that "the key to a century-long plan is to plant people" as we take our first steps with an eye toward the next 100 years.

I would like to ask for your continued support for the Union this year and wish you all the best in your health and success. Thank you very much for joining us today. Let's work hard together.

Let's do it!