Today, workers are rushing to unionize, and the Japanese Communist Party says it is getting about 1,000 new members a month, many of them disgruntled young people.
Masahiro Mukasa, a struggling techno musician, started a union for freelance artists and musicians in December. The Indy Union intends to help members negotiate with particularly abusive employers.
“People think musicians just have a good time. But we need to make a living, too,” Mukasa said. “I want to show that our livelihoods are at stake in this bad economy.”
Still, in a society that values conformity and order, most Japanese remain deeply averse to confrontation and protest, and there is nothing approaching what could be called a mass movement.
“Japanese feel it’s shameful to get involved in protests,” said Makoto Yuasa, a longtime activist. “Many still look at us suspiciously, like we might be making bombs.”
Still, “this is the most significant rise in activism I’ve seen in years,” said Yoshitaka Mouri, a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts, who has been following the rising protest culture. “A movement is brewing among young Japanese.”
Hajime Matsumoto, an activist who operates from a thrift shop in Koenji, has amassed a large following at his protests and rallies. Some like-minded Japanese have opened their own stores alongside Matsumoto’s, huddling after hours to help hatch protest plans, turning Koenji into a center of activism.
“The poor man’s revolt has finally begun!” Matsumoto shouted at a recent demonstration, banging on a full set of drums perched atop a piece of plywood on wheels. His message: Even poor people deserve a good life. “If we all get together, we can bring about change!”
Some experts question how much political influence demonstrators will wield. Few expect them to be a big force at the ballot box later this year when Japan holds parliamentary elections.
Young people are outnumbered by older voters, and are concentrated in cities, where ballots carry less weight proportionally than in the sparsely populated countryside.
Still, the nascent focus on worker and generational rights is a break from the years under former nationalist prime ministers Shinzo Abe and Junichiro Koizumi. At the time, stoked by nationalist rhetoric from politicians and government officials, youth seemed to swerve to the right.
To quell the rising anger, the government has increased spending on programs for younger people. In his latest economic stimulus package, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso pledged ¥1.9 trillion (US$19 billion) in programs to raise youth employment. He is also prodding companies to elevate temporary workers to full-time status. Such actions have done little to change the economic issues.
For now, the public has some sympathy with the protesters, and the rallies are getting heavy coverage in local media.
“I support these young people,” said Masaaki Saito, 60, an owner of a small electronics store in Koenji who took part in student protests in his youth.
“It’s been a long time,” he said, “but Japan’s youth are getting their voice back.”
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