Appeal

 

Today, February 21^st, three prosecutors from the Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office demanded 3 to 2 years’ imprisonment for the seven defendants in the 56^th trial session of “JR Urawa Electric Train Depot incident”. We express our rage and protest for the malicious prosecution which treats innocent people as criminals.

On 1^st November, 2002, we, seven members of Miyoshi-kai (After we got released, we formed a group, “Miyoshi-kai” which was named for 344 days of detention because 344 could be pronounced mi-yo-shi in Japanese. We are also called “JRU7”.) were unlawfully arrested in handcuffs by the police from the Public Safety Bureau of the Tokyo Police. Though we all protested our innocence, we were kept in detention for 344 long days. At the same time a large scale of crackdown was conducted, such as domiciliary searches and home visits. Moreover we were faced with the coverage that regarded JREU as a union under the influence of “Kakumaru-faction” or “extremists” and subversive activities within JRU and JREU.

We were suddenly separated from our families, friends and society and fell to the depth of fear. We were in a state of complete confusion. Seeing an enormous power with our own eyes, we got violently-disturbed. Under such circumstances, we had to submit to an unjustified, merciless investigation in defiance of human rights. Each of the seven members faced up to security officers or prosecutors from the Public Safety Bureau of the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office in a sweatbox. In a situation where we had no idea what was going to happen to us tomorrow and we couldn’t flee from reality even if we hoped to do, we groaned, suffered, struggled and kept on fighting for 344 days.

After we were released on bail, we continued with fighting for complete and total acquittal and immediate return to work. Through shrugging off every pressure, we have testified the truth in the trial session and uncovered the cooked-up scenarios of the prosecution. At the same time we went from Hokkaido to Okinawa to maintain the truth and also in foreign countries we informed our fellow union members of reality of crackdown and development of our struggle. Now our solidarity is spreading around the world across national boundaries.

We have become strong in this fighting. However, it is solidarity with annealed family members who have also fought with us through determining truth beyond the wall and difficulty, our friends and those who are providing assistance that have encouraged us to keep on fighting. Our robust solidarity has been confirmed every time when the trial session is held. A host of our fellows crowd like a big wave in front of the Tokyo District Court in order to get admission tickets.

Our struggle and solidarity have accumulated a lot of achievement such as twice issue of recommendations to the Japanese government by ILO, nearly 400 thousand signatures which asked for immediate implement of the recommendations and a warning letter to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis issued by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.

On 6 February we submitted 693,446 signatures by individuals and 1,197 signatures by organizations to demand a just and fair trial for the “JR Urawa Electric Train Depot incident” to the Tokyo District Court. These signatures were collected respectively by many people who expressed solidarity at home and abroad. So many citizens pay attention to the case and watch the outcome of the first trial. Being backed by this strength, we are determined to ensure complete preparation for the summation to be held in April, and maintain the truth confidently based on what we have established together with our fellow workers.

As far as we fight on, crackdown will never stop. We have been named “terrorists” in the 24-week running story of the magazine, “Weekly Gendai”. Right before the prosecution’s closing argument, on February 15 and 19, the Public Safety Bureau of the Tokyo police raided the JRU office, the Japan Railway Welfare Association, a residence of the former advisor of JRU, Akira Matsuzaki, and other places again. We can see what the authority is aiming at. That intends to liquidate those who are fighting in order to live their life like a full human being. Japan is going to build up a regime which is capable to wage war.

This is what we’d like to call out to all of you. We are not guilty. The case was cooked up. It is unacceptable for the innocent to be charged. Japan’s overdrive should be no longer allowed. In order for workers, citizens and children to live in peace in future, we do fight it out in solidarity with all our fellows to win the case.

No doubt the answer of the court will be only one, judgment of acquittal.

This is our appeal.

 

21^st February, 2007 

Miyoshi-kai(JRU7)