The newly elected chairman of the Japanese Socialist Party roundly condemned Mr. Harold Wilson for "his slavish approval of Johnson's escalate ion of the war in Vietnam." In an interview given to the press on May 10, he said: "Wilson's attempt to build a new Britain within the framework of the Commonwealth accounts for the emergence of a sugar-coated colonialism." He urged Mr. Wilson to "turn over a new leaf and become a good socialist." Mr. Kozo Sasaki, former vice-chairman of the party, was unanimousiy elected chairman at an extraordinary convention in Tokyo on May 6the He succeeded Jotaro Kawakami who resigned due to ill-health.
Before being elected, Sasaki made a trenchant speech on the Vietnam situation. He stated his opposition to U.S. policy in clear-cut terms. "The United States," he said, "is now baring its barbarian nature of imperialism in Vietnam and trying to expand the war to China while at the same time applying terroristic pressures upon the Dominican people.."
The General Council of Japanese Trade Unions (SOHYO), which represents nearly 4; million out of Japan's total organised work-force of 9% million, announced on May 6th that it is sending a mission to North Vietnam, The mission will be an expression of solidarity with the workers of North Vietnam and will work out with the unions of that country how best the Japanese workers can help them.
The announcement was made by SOHYO's general secretary, Akira Iwai, at the opening session of the 28th convention of the Japanese Teachers’ Union, He said that SOHYO is planning to send material aid, including medical supplies, to the North Vietnamese workers and peasants.
Sadamitsu Miyanohara, chairman of the 600,000-member Japanese Teachers! Union, declared at the opening session that everything concerning Vietnam should left to the self-determination of the people of Vietnam, He called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam. Even if it was criticised for placing too much emphasis on political struggles, the union would continue its fight against imperialism and for world peace.