Donation Project 2017

Request for donations to help run the Friday protests in front of the prime minister’s residence and parliament as well as our organization (Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes: MCAN) so we can continue our actions for at least another two years

Since forming in September 2011, Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes (MCAN) has worked tirelessly to make Japan nuclear free. This has included our mainstay protests in front of the prime minister’s residence and parliament every Friday as well as several other big events each year, the distribution of leaflets and large-scale collaborations with other groups.

This year marks five years since we began the Friday protests and six years since we established the organization. During that time, our activities have been supported by the generous donations of the general public.

After an examination of our accounting status for fiscal 2016 by a strategic committee at the start of fiscal 2017, it was found that we recorded a loss of approximately ¥3.6 million for the year, which is equivalent to around one-third of our annual costs. Adding in a loss of roughly ¥1.5 million in fiscal 2015, we run the risk of being unable to continue our activities beyond the next year. There have been no major cost increases in the four years since MCAN started running its organization in the manner we see today. The main reasons for the deficit are thus the prolonged nature of the nuclear issue, the dwindling number of participants in protests as people face other problems caused by the Abe administration and a decrease in donations.

Upon discussion of future direction by the aforementioned committee, we concluded that it would be difficult to cease activities considering where we stand today. This is especially the case since many people see a need for the anti-nuclear movement, including our Friday protests, and because the Abe administration continues to promote the restart of nuclear facilities with little or no reflection on the disaster that struck Fukushima in March 2011.

We aim to continue our actions for at least two more years, which will require donations in the amount of ¥10 million. This is the first time we have made a direct call for donations but decided that we needed to make this bold request.

Although MCAN does not rent any office space in order to save on expenses, we do have certain costs that include renting a warehouse to store materials used in the protests, purchasing equipment and other consumables, and printing costs for fliers and leaflets. We also provide transportation costs to staff and outlay the bare minimum in personnel costs to ensure that this social action does not lead anyone to sacrifice their livelihood over a sustained period. We believe that this policy has enabled us to continue as long as we have. We entrust our accounting to a tax accountant and we can assure you that nothing we do in this regard is in any way vague or unclear.

MCAN has worked together with ordinary people as a citizens’ platform calling for a nuclear-free Japan. We truly respect and are grateful for the participation of everyone in the protests and the strong determination in pursuing the end to a nuclear Japan.

We are hopeful that we can continue to receive your support and ask for your kind cooperation with a donation so that we can continue running the Friday protests and other events.

As adults cognizant of our responsibility, we will do our very best not to leave a society for the next generation that is riddled with problems and a bitter legacy from nuclear power.

June 22, 2017
Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes

[Messages from supporters]
Keiko Ochiai (writer, head of Crayon House) No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’m always thinking about the protests in front of parliament when they’re being held each Friday night. That’s enough to lift my spirit. I’m so grateful for the continued gift of encouragement and energy that I get from the actions of MCAN. I am fully on board with what you do and I was shocked to hear that your activities may have to come to an end. I whole-heartedly support you in everything you do and if there is anything I can do at all to help you continue, I am more than happy to do so.

Rika Kayama (psychiatrist) The nuclear accident changed Japan in a big way, and led us into the dark. At the same time, the actions of MCAN have also changed Japan, and that’s leading us into a more hopeful future. There are so many things MCAN has taught me: Everyone is free to express their anger; We can gather together like-minded people; We can connect Fukushima with the rest of Japan and the world. I want to keep going to the protests. And I want to continue raising my voice together with you.

Shigeaki Koga (former bureaucrat of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, representative of Forum 4, a social movement supporting both pacifism and structural reform of the economy) If MCAN has to stop its activities, Prime Minister Abe is sure to think that the citizens of Japan are fools; that everyone forgets over time. And that’s why we all have to support what MCAN is doing so they can keep going for as long as it takes. There’s a limit to what an individual can do and that’s why we must all come together. Let’s give our support, starting with whatever we can do. We must keep going!

Manabu Sato (founder of Association of Scholars; Professor at Gakushuin University; promoter for Shimin Rengo) We have to keep on shouting “No more Hiroshimas” and “No more Fukushimas” for the next generation. We must speak out whenever possible against administrations that try to erase the history of war and nuclear accidents like this Abe administration. I am committed to supporting MCAN and its activities as an individual and as a citizen of Japan. I am completely on board with this donation project and think we all need to make our voices heard even more.

Kei Nakazawa (writer, professor at Hosei University) I really respect you all for sticking at the nuclear-free and anti-nuclear movement for so long. Japan’s energy policy needs to be overhauled and started again from scratch. The politicians only began to move once they could clearly hear the voice of the people. People in financial circles also stood up and took notice. So too did the government bureaucrats. Despite this, the nuclear reactors continue to be brought back online and there are signs that the anti-nuclear voice will be lost. It’ll be as if that horrific nuclear accident never happened. Some people just want to keep the nuclear policy as it is, shutting out the people who truly suffer from this disaster. Please everyone, we have to continue to make our voices heard so that one day Japan’s energy policy will change. Please make sure that the horrific nuclear accident is not swept under the carpet and forgotten.

Osamu Nishitani (philosopher, Specially Appointed Professor, Graduate School of Arts, Rikkyo university) Already five years have passed since the anti-nuclear action got underway and it has shaken up the way people in Japan approach civic movements in terms of structure and intention. Japan is now faced with its biggest political crisis since the end of the war and many people are raising their voices whenever and wherever they can despite the rotten, despotic administration. The anti-nuclear movement has become an excellent barometer for where we stand today. I hope the movement can continue until Japan ceases to be nuclear and this shift in Japanese society is there for all to see.

The cost of keeping a public space for protesting
Eiji Oguma (sociologist) Do you think that space around parliament could be used for protests had MCAN not continued their movement there? I doubt it. Various legal limitations restrict protests in front of the prime minister’s residence and parliament. There are two reasons that area has been turned into a place for protesting after the earthquake. First, MCAN started protesting there during the crisis following the nuclear accident. Second, they have kept up the protests for over five years and have secured the area as a place for protesting by working with the police. The protests against security legislation in the summer of 2015 and the protests going on today would not have been possible without laying the groundwork and then continuing. 　The public space would be turned back into no-man’s land straight away without these ongoing efforts. Many people know that parks and public facilities around Japan are becoming increasingly restrictive. In the next few years, there will probably be moves to revise the constitution. If MCAN loses the ability to continue the protests, the space in front of the prime minister’s residence and parliament may once again return to how it was before the disaster when nobody could protest there. Helping MCAN continue their work is in effect the cost of maintaining a public space for protesting in Japan. That’s the way I see it.

[Past actions] (As of June 24, 2017)
<Direct action>
● Friday protests in front of parliament against nuclear restarts: Held 248 times, total participants: 1,622,250
– 200,000 people took part in June-July 2012, with Friday protests spreading nationwide
– Representatives of the anti-nuclear movement submitted a request directly to Prime Minister Noda at parliament in August 2012
● Large-scale actions (demos, protests, gatherings, etc. (including joint efforts)): 30 times since October 2011, Max. participants: 200,000
● Emergency actions (Protests in front of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and power companies, etc.): 27 times since August 2012

<Distribution of leaflets, etc.>
*Figures in parentheses indicate number of issues, including revisions
●Anti-nuclear “It’s your choice” project <2012 election of House of Representatives> (420,000)
● Anti-nuclear “It’s your choice” project <2013 election of House of Representatives> (505,000)
●NO NUKES MAGAZINE vol.01 <Basic edition> Can we survive without nuclear power? (330,000)
●NO NUKES MAGAZINE vol.02 <Radiation edition> Can we safely manage radiation? (200,000)
●NO NUKES MAGAZINE vol.03 <Electricity price edition> Is it true that eelcricity prices will rise by going nuclear free? (100,000)
●NO NUKES MAGAZINE vol.04 <Energy shift edition> NO NUKES! ENERGY AUTONOMY! (50,000)
●Halt the restart of Sendai nuclear plant! (225,000)
●Halt the restart of Takahama nuclear plant! (65,000)
●Halt the restart of Ikata nuclear plant! (90,000)
●SMASH FASCISM! ABE OUT! (91,000) *Abe Seiken No! Executive Committee
●Leaflets for Friday protests in front of parliament (10,000)
●Monthly fliers for protests in front of parliament (867,000) *Issued monthly from October 2012

<Collaborations with other groups, etc.>
●NO NUKES DAY (together with Sayonara Genpatsu 10 Million People’s Action, Genpatsu wo Nakusu Zenkoku Renrakukai): 6 times
●Say NO! to the Abe Government (Executive Committee)
●Power Shift Campaign (Organizing body)
●Campaign Against India-Japan Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (Organizing body)
●”So-gakari kodo jikkou iinkai”  (Participation by Executive Committee)
●”Genpatsu genchi e iku kai” (Support of gatherings at nuclear sites)

<Other>
●Running of a website, blog and social networks (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
●Activity countering propaganda activities on the street
●Announcement of requests and other statements
●Participation in gatherings and protests at nuclear sites
●Overseas exchanges (Taiwan, India, USA, etc.)
●Merchandise (T-shirts, badges, etc.)
●Events at live music clubs, etc.
●Booths at various events, etc. MCAN is run democratically through set meetings every Friday and strategic meetings a few times a year.

*For further details of “Past actions” please see our website: http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=6160 (Japanese)
http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/en/home/past-actions/ (Enlish) http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=6199

[Balance sheet reports (Japanese only)]
http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?page_id=2365

[Bank transfer]
*Please put “Donation 2017” as reference when making a donation. (Also include email address whenever possible)

Japan Post Bank (at Post Offices):
Account name: シュトケンハンゲンパツレンゴウ (“Shutoken han-genpatsu rengo”)
Account number: 00170-1-291074
*If you deposit from another bank, use the branch number 019 with 0291074 as the account number (Account type: Toza (当座)).

Johnan Shinkin Bank Yokohama Branch
Branch number: 063
Account type: Ordinary (Futsuu 普通)
Account number: 285654
Account name: シュトケンハンゲンパツレンゴウ(“Shutoken han-genpatsu rengo”)

[Inquiries]
Please forward all inquiries to us via email.

[Contact details]
Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes
Care of: Loft Project, 3F 1-5-1 Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073
Email: info@coalitionagainstnukes.jp
TEL: 080-9195-2668
Website: http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp
Twitter: @MCANjp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCANglobal