Successive Exhibition & Meeting A Million of Signature Collection Goes More Active

Communication with Main Labors Unions Our Free Hoshino fighting is progressing with a million people working cooperatively from the early in January. It had a Hoshino art exhibition in northern, southern and central Tokyo in January. The supporters of the northern Tokyo exhibition communicated with the members of main labors unions. This was an epoch making event and they started to communicate with people who are fighting in many different fields. After a Hoshino's art exhibition is held in Jyoge town in Fuchu city, Hiroshima prefecture in February, it will be also held in Ibaraki, Saitama and Okinawa one after another. A Hoshino's art exhibition is planned even in places where there is no Free Hoshino activity yet. We are expanding our messages through Hoshino's arts. No Entry into the War in Middle East Overturn Abe Administration The incident of Japanese Journalists Hostage by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) ended in the worst situation that the two Japanese men were killed by ISIL. The blame is on Japanese Government that is moving towards war. Abe Administration used this incident as a pretext to get into taking part in the invasion of Middle East. It is now fighting historically on war in the ordinary diet session and Abe is planning to send the self-defense force abroad. The mean of preventing war is to unite with labors' unions internationally. The progress by our class movement fighting unyieldingly against Japan National Railways in '80s has brought power to prevent the war by the present depression. For 9.6 Tokushima Demonstration A Lesson from the Success of the Exhibition in Northern Tokyo Branch Free Hoshino, Northern Tokyo Branch A Hoshino art exhibition was held at Gallery Koto in Nerima, Tokyo from January 9 to 11 for the first time. A hundred and fifty people visited the gallery and forty three participants signed their names to agree on disclosure of the evidences. We have got new friends. The gallery is located in front of Musashi University where Hoshino's cousin Takao Hoshino used to teach economics at. Professor Kozo Nagai insisted on Hoshino's Innocence We are so pleased that we had the exhibition. It was hardly opened. Mr. Takao Hoshino, a cousin of Fumiaki Hoshino, visited here twice. Mr. Kozo Nagai, a former NHK producer visited here and looked at the photo on the wall in the gallery and insisted, "Hoshino is innocent. It is definitely evident in this photo." It was a moment that we convinced of Hoshino's evidence again. Mr. Katsumi Kanayama, the chairperson of Hoshino Defense Committee (Commonly used name: Free Hoshino), delivered a message during the exhibition, and Mr. Kanayama reported how Japanese prisoners are abused in comparison to other countries' treatment of prison. The participants felt as if they are listening to Fumiaki Hoshino. Exhibition by Local People We learned a few things through opening Hoshino exhibitions. First we discussed on exhibitions' aim concerning present situation and trends. We suggested holding an exhibition at the meeting of Northern Tokyo Labor Union, and the members frequently established a committee for Hoshino art exhibition in Northern Tokyo. We showed two DVD documentaries on Fumiaki Hoshino at the exhibition, which was the idea from the young members. It was very successful to display Hoshino's arts and to show DVD at the gallery. Especially for younger people who are under forty to know the '70 Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and to understand about Hoshino's fighting. We distributed flyers of Free Hoshino activity around the university, and it was successful. Time Passed Fast Shuzo Hoshino, Fumiaki's younger brother I met Fumiaki on January 8 and 9. I met him last October in 2013. I went alone because his wife Akiko had a cold. I flied from Shin-Chitose airport in the morning on 7 to Kansai airport, and took ferry from Wakayama harbor to Tokushima. Mr. Tetsuya Senda took me to the prison by his car. He took his girlfriend Yukari, but the prison denied her by the reason that they do not get married. They absolutely disregarded human rights. It's been a long time to come in the meeting room. I waited for my brother Fumiaki to come in the small and cold room. The door opened and I expected his smiling face, but he looked grim. At first the topic was about Akiko, and some short while later his eyes became calm. Our meeting time passed by like a flash. On the next day, Mr. Senda took me to the prison to meet Fumiaki in the early in the morning. Fumiaki appeared from the door with the usual look, and it made me feel at ease. We talked about various topics: our ways of lives and thoughts. I was pleased that he has his own philosophy in spite of the life in a small cell. We said good bye hoping reunion in Sapporo! I thought many things deeply during these two days. After the meeting with Fumiaki, we, including Yukari walked around the prison, and we looked down the prison from the mountains. We dropped by one of supporters house. She is culturing SUDACHI (a kind of citrus) and KONNYAKU (voodoo lily). I picked up a stone at the riverside in Tokushima for memory. I arrived at Sapporo where was covered by snow. Tokushima Prison Ignores Asking for Measures against Cold Free Hoshino Attorneys The members of Free Hoshino, labors unions and activists from all over Japan sent a document to request of five items since last December. (Refer #212) Tokushima prison is located in the mountains and the temperature in winter often goes to sub-zero. Fumiaki Hoshino is suffering from hypothermia since he was in prison, and his average temperature is 35 degrees C. He lives in the place being surrounded by all concrete without heater and a cold night frostbites his ear. The prison did not answer to anyone. On February 4, the attorneys and Hoshino Defense Committee sent the document again to request the prison to address the issue immediately. The prison did nothing ever since we asked because they said there are not enough budgets. However, other prisons such as Fuchu prison in Tokyo permit the use of a pocket warmer. We must raise our voices to protect human rights and Hoshino's life.