LETTER　from WORKERS’ GROUP of GOVERNING BODY of I.L.O

Mr. Junichiro Koizumi

Prime Minister

2-3-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-Ku Tokyo, Japan

Genova, 3 fevrier, 2006

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

The Workers’ Group of the Governing Body of the ILO has learned from the International Transport Federation (ITF) and directly from the Japan Confederation of Railway Workers’ Unions (JRU) that on 7 December 2005 an intensive search by officers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police took place in relation to a case of alleged embezzlement against a former officer of the union.

According to information from the JRU, the search was disproportionate to the seriousness of the legal case, involving more than 80 police officers and continuing for 84 hours, with confiscation of more than two thousand items, with a strong presence of TV crews. While the Police returned a personal computer on December 27th, none of the other confiscated items was given back.

I wish to remind you that a similar situation took place in 2003. It leads to a formal complaint being lodged with the Committee on Freedom of Association. The Committee found that your government should “ ensure that all items confiscated in relation to the case of coercion and violation of the Law on Punishment against Violent and Other Acts be returned in their entirety at the earliest moment” and that your government should continue to keep it informed of progress made in this respect.

Mr. Prime Minister, we are quite surprised and disappointed to learn of what are repeated examples of excessive use of force against a Union by the Tokyo Police and the unilateral use of the mass media (with little opportunity for the union to present its case).

We should like to ask Your Excellency to have his Government respect the decisions of the Governing Body of the ILO of which your country is a valued member.

We remain, Sir,

Very truly yours

Sir Roy Trotman Chairperson Workers’ Group