FreeHoshino! #220
Successful Demonstration at Tokushima Prison
Hoshino Met with 720 Supporters

 
On September 6, 720 supporters, from all over Japan, gathered for demonstration at Tokushima prison. We, all the participants met first at side of Akui-river in the city; many of them came by three reserved buses. We practiced shout with big voices at the other side of the prison.
We wanted to reach our voices to Fumiaki Hoshino in the prison and shout, "Mr. Hoshino!" "You will be free soon!"

We had a meeting again before the demo; it started at one o'clock in the afternoon. Co-representative Mitsuo Kano led the meeting. At first Akiko Hoshino reported a massage from Fumiaki that she was given yesterday when she met Fumiaki at the prison.

Comments from delegates of each organization were given. At first Mikiko Motoki, from Free Hoshino-Tokushima, spoke. Osamu Wada, Attorney for Hoshino's Retrial, reported the progress of the retrial, and he read a message from Carol
Seligman who is fighting for framed political crimes in the States.
 
Other delegates, Ikuma Saito, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Toyokazu Kishimoto, Masashi Kamata commented as well.

Kosuke Okada of Free Hoshino-Iwate, Ryo Miyahara of Free Hoshino-Hiroshima, Osamu Morimoto of Free Hoshino-Osaka spoke their thoughts about this activity.
Shogo Hara appealed to contribute earnestly, and we got 212,831 yen.
Takeshi Okumura, the leader of the demo led the people to begin to walk.
Hoshino Actually Heard Our Voices!
 
Many Tokushima citizens in town encouraged us on the road. At the gate of the prison a big photo panel of Hoshino welcomed us. Akiko called her husband with a microphone, "Fumiaki, do you hear me? We all came to take you back home."
All the participants sang "Solidarity"and walk around the prison. Many people were walking with tears.
Some other people spoke to Hoshino through microphone as well.
Akiko met Fumiaki on the next day and knew that he got people's voices clearly.
The joyful reports what Fumiaki heard our voices spread all over the country before long.

Let's Crash the Power; Town Activity Crasher
 
Two activists, who were arrested by framing, were released on August 15. They have been fighting for disabled people for 23 years as name of <Open Space Machi (Town)>.

One day these two activists were accused of fraud though they had diseases. The authority hates that they have been doing antiwar activity at their workshop, and framed as fraud. The two activists were subjected for eight hours every day in an interrogation room. They consistently maintained their silence and have never converted. They had a lot of encouragements from people in the country during the severe interrogation. It's a very good example that people's solidarity surpasses the power structure.

Tokushima Visitation Diary

As if We are in the Front of the Diet

Akiko Hoshino

 
It was rainy on August 17, the first day of this month's visitation. I started with a very happy topic. "The two people of Open Space Machi were released!"
I was so much exited as if I am at demonstration in front of the Diet.

Fumiaki talked calmly, "Abe regime is cornered now. He is a liar and a dodger. This time's Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements means that we will be involved in a war though he is saying we never be embroiled. Everybody knew the truth, and young people, students and house wives stood up.

On the next day, we talked about his physical condition. I mentioned that our people are anxious about that he is taking steroid. He doesn't worry. "The doctor says we don't have to be serious because I am taking it a whisper of it, and anyway it will be decreasing because it has a risk of getting diabetes. I don't have an enough chance of bathing in the sun and it causes diseases. But in recent days I am in the best condition in these thirty years, and I can do cleaning room every day."

Talking with a Brand New Painting
On August 19, we conversed on his brand new painting named "Fukushima, We live together now" seeing the work.
"I made this piece from a photo in a magazine "Days Japan" and other photos you brought to me. I wish I could paint one more hour." But it is still good and I said, "The children's faces are vivid, aren't they?" We talked about the exhibitions held in all over Japan more than fifty places.
Fumiaki said, "One organizer reported me that they are working as if they are acting Fumiaki and Akiko." "It became an ideal activity, didn't it?" said I.
I asked him, "Are you going to paint out of prison, too?" "It depends." He answered and thought a little while and said, "Yes, I do, may be".

I have been anxious about his awful situation in the feat in this summer, and mentioned about it. "I was almost dying. One prisoner died and two are still serious illness in Wakayama. I really hope to be allowed opening the upper window of the cell."

I told him those Free Hoshino supporters all of the country asked about it to the prison by postal mails.
"Even so I work all day long, I study in the morning while it's a little cool, and I do painting work in the day time, so other prisoners were astonished at me. It has been that much hot here!"
On the last day of our August meeting, Fumiaki emphasized antiwar saying, "If a war's begun, it's impossible to stave off. We need to stop the dangerous stream by love, bond and solidarity."