English

 Mr.KITANISHI Makoto, professor emeritus of Hiroshima University opened the rally with a militant address against G.W.Bush and FUKUDA Yasuo, followed by the recitation of a poem, titled “Anger of the atomic bomb victims ” of KURIHARA Sadako, one of the survivors of the disaster 63 years ago.
 Two atomic bomb survivors, Ms. SHIMODA Reiko, chairperson of the Atomic Bomb Victims Against War, and Mr.NAKAJIMA Ken, president of the Youth League of Atomic Bomb Victims, denounced war-driving imperialists both of Japan and US and expressed their determination to defeat them.
 The keynote speech was made by Ms. TANIGUCHI Kyoko for the secretariat of the organizing committee, who emphasized on the decisive role of workers’ struggle in workplace in stopping war and creating a new society.
 International solidarity was conveyed by two persons. Doctor Husaam, who once studied in Hiroshima University and now is combating infantile cancer caused by depleted uranium in Iraq, sent us an encouraging message.
The speech of Ms.Arlene Inouye of CAMS drew enthusiastic applause from all the participants. She passionately stressed that their struggle in US to drive out military recruiters form school and Japanese education workers’ struggle with a pledge, “Never send our students to the battlefield again”, are one and same. “Let’s strengthen international solidarity. We are always with you” was her closing words.
Mr. TANAKA Yasuhiro, president of Doro-Chiba called on all the fighting workers to join the November Workers’ Rally and to rise up for a general strike to gain wage raise. He declared that it is a great moment now to demonstrate united power of workers can overthrow ruling class in the aggravating crisis of capitalism. 
  Three education workers fighting against Hinomaru and Kimigayo, namely Ms. NEZU Kimiko, Ms. KAWARAI Junko from Tokyo and another teacher of Hiroshima, expressed their determination to keep their struggle in unity in defiance of disciplinary measure and to transform Japan Teachers Union into a militant union of education workers.
 Other speakers were: Mr.TOMITA Shin of Okinawa who called for revolution, a public sector workers, a postal worker, a hospital worker and a university student who was arrested two times this year (on May 29 in Hosei University and on June 29 in Shibuya demonstration against G8 summit).
 “Appeal of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action”(see below) was adopted by all the participants at the end of the rally.
 Closing address was made by Ms.KURIHARA Kimiko, ex- member of the House of Councilors, who spoke for workers power.
 After shouting militant slogans in chorus by the lead of Mr. HIRAOKA Makoto of the organizing committee, the participants poured onto the street of downtown Hiroshima to wage a powerful anti-war, anti-nuke demonstration. Police set up a two-rank cordon of troops in riot gear but failed to suppress militant demonstrators who were welcome and joined by by-passers on the sidewalks.   

 Appeal of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action

Today’s speeches and reports of our fighting friends and comrades on their struggle in workplace have firmly convinced all of us that we can abolish war and nuke once for all when our unity becomes greater and stronger. 
The conclusion of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action on its 10th anniversary is: It is capitalists who need war and nuke. Unity of workers and people can do away with war and nuke. The unity achieved through the struggle to abolish war and nuke enables us to overthrow the existing system of the society full of problems and contradictions from the bottom. We have a power to carry out this task. United, not alone, we gain mighty strength. For this aim every one of us has a vital role to play.
Here in this great rally, under the slogan of “Abolish war and nuke by the united power of people”, we are united, victims of atomic bombings and sister Arlene Inoue from US, a country that dropped atomic bombs. This is an ultimate achievement of unity. 
We are united here overcoming long-time division produced by alleged conflict of national interest, discrimination and chauvinistic nationalism. We need to expand this unity further around us. Workers all around the world now share a common anger against capitalists who treat workers as their slaves through pitting them each other, bringing in disruption among them, punishing and arresting them, and finally even killing them. We’ve got conviction that united in anger; we can abolish war and nuke. A great victory was won by today’s rally!
Capitalists have brought about a world financial crisis as a result of the collapse of sub-prime loan. They are strengthening neo-liberal offensive in an attempt to transfer disaster to working class. Capitalism has reached an extreme situation, in which working people can no longer live. We are suffering soaring prices of fuels and foods, unstable job such as temporary and irregular employment and so on.
Let’s raise the voice of anger! Let’s start fighting back! The time is ripe for rising. It’s quite natural to get furious at the present situation. The incident in Akihabara exposed us that a young worker, deprived of unity with his colleagues, was obliged to explode his anger in killing people on the street. If he could have found an opportunity to unite with his friends, his anger would have been directed to capital and have been developed into a power to change the world. “Crab-canning Ship”, a history on slave labor in the prewar time, is booming as best seller especially among young people. They readily and fully understood the message of KOBAYASHI Takiji, author of this book, who stressed upon the importance and greatness of unity and comrades at the risk of his life (he was tortured and murdered in 1933 by security police for his activities as proletarian writer). Underlying cause of unity is the anger against capital and state, in a word, “We must live”.
Workers and students rallying in this great action in Hiroshima today have an enormous power of unity and are competent enough to abolish war and nuke. Let’s send out a message of unity and solidarity to the whole world by a militant demonstration now! Keep fighting in workplace, campus and community and promote unity!
August 6, 2008
Participants of August 6 Hiroshima Rally of Great Action