The police and prosecutors tried to discourage the union members of Kan-nama by arresting and detaining them.

However, there was one person for whom it didn’t work at all. It was Kenichi Matsumura, vice-chairman of Kan-nama. “I will never give up,” he said.

He was calm throughout the interview. He occasionally cracked jokes. When he entered the room, he asked, “People might think I look scary, but is it okay for me to appear on camera?”

In response to the oppression of Kan-nama, Matsumura said, “I must pay back for what was done to me.” What is his intention?

“Frolicking” Shiga Prefectural Police

I was arrested by the Shiga Prefectural Police in February 2019 and by the Wakayama Prefectural Police in July. The Shiga Prefectural Police charged me with intimidation and obstruction of business for distributing flyers at construction sites calling for compliance with the law. The Wakayama Prefectural Police charged me with attempted coercion and intimidation and obstruction of business. I was charged with demanding an apology from the owner of a ready-mix concrete company that had used a former gangster to threaten the company.

Both were found not guilty at trial.

The Shiga Prefectural Police arrested me on the same day as Akira Ohara, a member of the Kan-nama Executive Committee. When the police arrest multiple people, they usually do it at the same time. However, it seemed that the Shiga Prefectural Police made a mistake this time and were late in coming to my house. I heard that the Shiga Prefectural Police had come to Ohara’s house, so I rushed over there. Later, the Shiga Prefectural Police arrived at my house as well, and told me to come back.

The Shiga Prefectural Police were more aggressive than the Wakayama Prefectural Police. Even during the search of Kan-nama, the Shiga Prefectural Police investigators came with an attitude of yakuza. Kan-nama has been under oppression for a long time, so it has been searched many times, but there are certain rules even when it comes to searches. For example, when the Osaka Prefectural Police search a house, a member of Kan-nama is present. It’s our right. They have to enter the room with the members.

However, the Shiga Prefectural Police came rushing to the entrance, and even though we said “Wait a minute,” they didn’t hear us. They were frolicing.

When I am arrested, I completely remain silent. I don’t even say my name. I was detained for about five months in the Shiga case, but I only went to the prosecutor’s office twice for formalities. There was no interrogation at all. I was just detained. It was so boring, and no one cared about me.

After his release, he treated his parents at a restaurant

I joined Kan-nama in 1997. A classmate of mine happened to be at Kan-nama. He asked me if I wanted to join since I wasn’t doing anything. I joined because I felt that I needed to work hard to make a living.

What struck me as surprising was that the wages and benefits of workers in the ready-mix concrete industry were high compared to the standards of the time. I realized that in order for workers to make such economic demands, they couldn’t do it without a labor union.

I live with my parents. When I was arrested by the Shiga Prefectural Police, my mother looked worried. I think all parents do. My father was on his way to work, and the police asked him to show them what was in his bag, so he was a little angry.

I was a bad student. Back in the days, young people were violent, and those who studied hard were considered unique. I learned what was wrong and became a member of society through various experiences, but I never did much to show my filial piety to my parents. When I was released from detention following the recent crackdown on Kan-nama, I treated my parents at a local restaurant.

Until the activities of Kan-nama are recognized by society

In order to survive the oppression against Kan-nama and maintain the organization, I must not give up. Well, I will never give up, but I think that’s the most important thing. I must pay back what was done to me at the very least, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes.

By “pay back,” I mean making sure that society properly recognizes that our movement is legitimate, since it has been rejected. To achieve this, we must increase the number of union members of Kan-nama. I believe it is important that industrial unions are recognized by society as the mainstream of true union activity.

[Reporter’s Postscript] “Solidarity” is only possible with the strength of the individuals / Editor-in-Chief Makoto Watanabe

There is a story called Swimmy. It was written by Leo Lionni and translated into Japanese by Shuntaro Tanikawa. I read it when I was in elementary school.

Swimmy is the name of a small fish. His siblings were all red, but he was black. He was good at swimming. One day, he was attacked by a tuna and his siblings were eaten, but Swimmy used his speed to escape. Now alone, Swimmy meets some fish that are red like his dead siblings. However, they are also small and spend their days in fear of the tuna.

Swimmy comes up with a plan. They all huddle together and pretend to be big fish to scare the tuna away. Since he is black, he acts as an eye.

This sounds like a good idea, but it left me with a question. What would happen if the tuna approached and realized it was just a group of small fish? Since the small fish are all huddled together, wouldn’t it end up being caught in a single bite?

The crackdown on Kan-nama is severe. Even before the arrests, the police watched the members around their houses. During house searches, a large number of investigators barge in. They even try to look at the personal belongings of the wives and children. Tuna mistook a group of small fish for a big one and left, but the investigative power is not soft.

If each individual is not strong, they cannot resist the abuse of power. Matsumura said, “In order to maintain the organization, I must not give up,” and I believe he is right.

Of course, not everyone has an iron will. Still, it is only when each individual has the desire to be as strong as possible that the solidarity of the team becomes strong enough to repel the opponent. When I interview members of Kan-nama, I often hear the word “solidarity,” but I think that means individuals uniting toward the same mission. It’s not about becoming coze with each other.

On the day that the verdict of Chairman Yuji Yukawa was heard at the Kyoto District Court, the managers of the ready-mix concrete companies on the “victim’s side” were hanging out before the trial began. They were intimidating and full of “tough guy” vibes.

However, shortly after the trial began, the presiding judge declared them not guilty, and the managers left the courtroom one by one. Matsumura was sitting to my left in the gallery. He said with a grin,

“It’s completely gone.”

The managers are only motivated by economic interests, while the police and prosecutors are only motivated by the appearances of their organization and their own self-preservation. The oppressors are nothing more than a collection of weak individuals. I believe that’s where Kan-nama’s chances of winning lie.

(Originally published in Japanese on April 9, 2025. Translation by Mana Shibata.)

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