My name is Tetsuro Tanaka.
First of all I would like to show my appreciation to you for spending
your time listening to my poor English performance,
and to my English teachers who trained me and helped in this translation.
I have been singing at the front of the gate every morning for 22 years, since I was fired by Oki Denki, one of the largest electronics companies in Japan.
In large Japanese companies there is a situation called Corporate
Fascism.
The companies expect their employees complete obedience and@loyalty.
They try to control their employees minds, manipulating even political
beliefs and religious faith.
Those who refuse to take loyalty tests, or who criticize company policy,are discriminated and harassed.
THE FIRE
25 years ago, in 1978, Oki Denki dismissed 1300 workers.
This figure accounted for approximately 10% of all of its employees.
First, the labor union opposed the dismissal, but their opposition
was merely a gesture.
After the token resistance its top people gave up because they
were company dominated men.
Among the branches of the union, only the Hachioji branch ,it
was my branch,tried to keep up the opposition, because they were
not dominated yet, but finally, it also gave in.
About 70 of the fired employees began a struggle against Oki Denki,
without the support of the OKI labor union.
Immediately after the firing, many of the workers who remained
with Oki Denki,
including myself, were also angry at the mass dismissal and supported
the fired workers personally.
At the company gate, almost all the coworkers accepted fliers from the fired coworkers and read them in the work place.
In the work place, a campaign fund was raised and given to
those struggling at the company gate.
But the company installed TV monitors near the gate and used these
monitors to identify those employees who took the fliers.
Then, the bosses called them one by one and repeatedly threatened
them not to do so. They said "to work hard is not enough
in Oki Denki. To remain in it, you must show your loyalty. So,
don't take the fliers."
As a loyalty test, the company judged whether its workers would
take the fliers or not.
As the number of people who would accept the loyalty tests increased, all kinds of discrimination started.
Those who refused the loyalty tests, were given menial jobs and poor wage assessments.
Some of them were given the same jobs as new employees even though they were veterans.
Others were given nothing to do and were made to just sit at their desks.
Daily calisthenics were also a loyalty test.
They began after the mass dismissal and were performed early in
the morning during our free time.
The bosses threatened employees to show their loyalty by participating
in the calisthenics.
But I refused by sitting at my desk every day while it was
going on.
So I was threatened by the bosses many times, but I continued
to sit.
Sadly, besides the crack-down by the bosses, various forms
of harassment started.
For example, some workers were completely ignored.
When they said "Good Morning" to coworkers, no one answered.
Other people were told not to associate with them even if they
were good friends.
If they still maintained friendships with those workers who were
shunned, they became the next target.
This song tells about examples of true harassment.
In fear of being watched by a TV monitor, those fliers were
folded into small pieces to be handed over, but soon almost no
one would take them.
Only half a year after the firing, less than 10 out of about two
thousand workers at the Hachioji Plant would take the fliers.
Even those who used to be good friends started to pass by without
saying a word.
But the fliers distributed by the company dominated union at just
10m inside the gate, were 100% all taken.
Now 25 years later, this situation hasn't changed.
This situation shows that OKI workers are controlled by fear even
now.
I would like to sing a song, which expresses the feelings of the
people who distributed the fliers.
I was among those workers who took the fliers.
The loyalty test made many kind people participate in harassment.
Now I would like to talk about another loyalty test which is prevalent
all over Japan.
Schools in Japan force their teachers to display HINOMARU and
sing KIMIGAYO.
"HINOMARU" is the Japanese national flag and "KIMIGAYO,"
is the Japanese national anthem.
You may think it's natural to pay respect to your own country's
national flag and national anthem.
But, HINOMARU symbolizes Japanese militarism and society under
the Japanese Emperor, KIMIGAYO stating that the age of the Japanese
Emperor may last forever.
We think that the Japanese government hasn't apologized and shown
enough regret to the Asian people for the brutality done by the
Japanese army during World War 2.
So, In Japan, many democratic school teachers and other citizens
including myself oppose the forced displaying of HINOMARU and
the singing of KIMIGAYO at school ceremonies.
We democratic people wish to have a discussion about this issue
with the Japanese society as a whole.
However, the Ministry of Education, Board of Education, and school
masters have refused our appeal to discuss this issue.
And some teachers have been punished, sometimes even fired, for
encouraging to discuss this issue in class with children.
The Japanese Ministry of Education states in its instruction
platform that HINOMARU and KIMIGAYO should be promoted in order
to "cultivate patriotism."
Their "patriotism" does not mean to love the people
of the nation but to be obedient to the national authorities.
Such kind of patriotism is the same as that of the militaristic
age.
We know that HINOMARU is used as a loyalty test of obedience.
Furthermore, the fact that the Ministry of Education refuses to
discuss this issue supports the belief that HINOMARU and KIMIGAYO
would lead to totalitarianism not to democracy.
I think this oppression against democracy is a manifestation of
the movement to revise
the current peaceful constitution, which declares to give up wars,
into one that permits the waging of wars.
This is a pity.
Because of this oppression, many democratic activities especially
the teachers associations are weakening now.
But One of my friends began to struggle.
Mrs Kimiko Nezu, she was punished because she encouraged her student
to discuss the HINOMRU issue in her class.
So I am supporting her.
In the next song I used the Japanese words "Candy or Whip"
This means that when power tries to control people, it gives an
advantage to an obedient person but gives a disadvantage to an
un-obedient person.
Candy means advantage. Whip means disadvantage.
I have held an open debate of the Hinomaru issue, with inviting
of right wing party's leader, and a right-wing politician.
I did it three times so far.
We have had exiting and interesting debate each time.
Next song! Patriotism.
I made this in the debate.
I would like to go back to the story of OKI DENK
The labor union also changed greatly.
At the time of the labor union's election after the mass dismissal,
none of the former union members ran as candidates at the Hachioji
branch, because they were victims of discrimination for opposing
the mass dismissal.
And only candidates who supported the company ran for the election
The company mobilized almost all the workers@as campaigners.
They had to prove their loyalty to the company by serving as a
campaigner.
Each of them had to hold a board with the name of a company-dominated
candidate,
saying "Please vote for our candidates."
During the campaign, there was much fear in the work place.
Telephones were tapped and workers were tattled on.
To criticize the company's discrimination, I ran for this election.
Even such things as follows were staged.
Almost a thousand people gathered in an open space and the
candidates made their speeches.
First the company-supported candidates talked to the audience
one by one and were
cheered greatly by audience members planted by the company.
Then, my turn came and I stood on the platform, prepared to
be booed.
And, then it happened. The audience suddenly became silent and all of them, except a few of my supporters turned their backs against me and left. picture
One of my friends was in the rear of the audience.
He received no prior information from the company.
So. He couldn't understand the situation.
He later said to me
" Despite that the speeches were not finished yet.
The audience suddenly turned back and walked toward me.
All their faces were pale and blank like dead men.
My knees trembled. I was overpowered by those coming up to me.
I couldn't stay there. I'm sorry. I couldn't listen to your speech
"
He had refused to do the calisthenics. He came to my house
for drinks several days later. He said he would start doing the
calisthenics the following day.
I would like to sing a song "Case of K". K is his name's
initial. He is an example of person who painfully changed their
mind by the companies' oppression.
I made this song by using his story.
After the election, I was deprived of my regular job and, as a warning to others, I got a transfer order. When I refused, I was fired.
Since then, every morning I have stood at the gate of Oki Denki, speaking and singing songs to people about getting back the courage to stop discrimination.
Just after I got fired my lawyer advised me that if anyone
were fired for refusing a transfer order that he or she could
not win in Japanese court, even if it were proven to be discrimination,
like my case.
But I brought my case to court anyway, because I thought it was
my duty.
After 12 years I lost at the Supreme Court.
But I didn't feel defeated, because I had expected that result.
When I determined to make a struggle, people said to me, what can one do? You have no power or organization to struggle against a big company.
But there have been some results from my struggle.
After my firing, "transfer order trouble" hasn't happened for 22 years in OKI.
It is common for the company to give a transfer order to workers suddenly, to a faraway place, sometimes as a form of harassment.
But after my firing OKI couldn't give transfer order to" the struggling people" and my supporters, but to other workers.
OKI is afraid that the "next Tanaka" may appear by the transfer order.
The discrimination against one of my friends in OKI was improved.
He is a qualified patent lawyer from passing a difficult examination.
Patents are very important for a technical company like OKI, and OKI has only one lawyer other than him.
So OKI has to ask the patent lawyer's office to do patent-jobs.
But OKI didn't give my friend any job for 20 years.
It is a clear example of discrimination
I have accused OKI of this case at OKI's stock holder's meeting.
I have joined OKI's stockholder's meeting every year as a stockholder.
Every time I have made a speech to criticize the discrimination at work.
5 years ago, my supporter play my CD at the meeting place while
I was accusing them.
Every time, OKI executives try to end the meeting prematurely.
at that time, I continued my speech to the stockholders even after
the executives left the premises .
Meeting was in complete disorder.
The following year, OKI gave my friend a job as a patent lawyer.
But his salary was about half of other's.
So I accused them about his salary, 3 years ago. The next year,
2 years ago, only his salary rose up by 30,000 Yen, when other
rose up only 500 Yen.
I succeeded in changing the meeting. Until 5 years ago, only the executives had used a microphone.
I had demanded to allow the stockholders to use a microphone,
but the company had denied it.
So I brought in my wireless megaphone which I had been using in
front of gate, it power is 40W, the voice can be heard 200m away,
and made my speech in a loud voice.
From the next year a microphone was prepared for stockholders.
Solidarity is important. But it is wrong to think that only I can't strugle, or, we can't struggle because of small number.
We have to keep in mind that we will continue to struggle, even if we're alone.
I believe that only the solidarity of such a person has real power for the improvement of the situation of society.
I would like to explain my struggle.
Every weekday morning I perform at the front of the gate@from 8:00 to 8:30 , on holiday I visit the gate and pray for peace of work.
Every 3rd Friday, at noon, I gave a performance against OKI's headquarters.
Every 29th is my sit-in day, including holidays and every type
of weather, from 10 am to 3 Pm.
Sometimes visitors come here. Each one has their own struggle.
Teachers, labor activists, fired persons, civil activists. We
have communicated there with each other.
I have treated them to my songs and a cup of coffee.
The sit-in space is on OKI's property, so OKI had tried to kick me out when just after I began the sit-in 22 years ago. But they gave up from my struggle, until 2 years ago.
2 years ago one famous politician, who was interested in me
from reading a manuscript in the newspaper, also came, Shizuka
Kamei, he was a candidate for Japanese Prim Minister.
One famous photographer came with him, Kishin Shinoyama, and took
our picture at the sit-in place. The picture appeared in a magazine.
The next month, OKI made a fence on the sit-in place to stop
me from getting in and tried to remove me physically.
But after several my struggling, they gave up again.
When you come to Tokyo, and the day is the 29th, get on the
Chuou line to Takao, terminal of the line.
It takes 1 hour from Tokyo station. You can see the OKI from the
train reaching Takao, through the left window.
It takes 3 min on foot from the station. You will see my beach
parasol in front of OKI's main gate. I will treat you to my songs
and a cup of coffee.
Last song!
I made this as a tribute to the teachers who are struggling against
the Hinomaru issue.
We have been discouraged some time, when struggling against many kind of society's problems, human right, or injustice.
But we should remember, a hundred years ago.
Human rights were terribly worse than now, for example.
Today's better situation didn't come automatically but come as a results of some people's struggling and sacrificing of their lives.
Let's keep our mind strong with the belief that our struggling will make a change in 100 years to come.
Thank you.