The “Rose Mark Seal Campaign”, Prospectus (International ver.)We are a group of progressive people who formed and are promoting the“Rose Mark Seal Campaign” to support election candidates who advocate“anti-austerity” policies in pursuit of providing choices for voters and to supplant Abe
Cabinet’s poor economic policies.
For the House of Councilors election in July 2019, it is necessary to firstincrease the number of associates with the same idea in the nationwide local elections inApril. In the process, we will offer a "Rose Mark Seal" to candidates who adopt the"anti-austerity economic policy" regardless of which political parties they belong to.
The "Rose Mark Seal" is a symbol of the global movement of people seeking theenrichment of lives and dignity. We believe that this campaign can create a new wavethat can turn people's mood of insecurity into hope.
According to the 2017 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions by theJapanese Government, more than 50% of the population responded that their living
conditions were difficult. This unpleasant result, we believe, is emerged from thepeople’s anxiety of losing their jobs, harassment at work, unpaid overtime, burden ofnursing and child care, wage reduction etc. As a result, Japan’s personal consumption
growth is slowing down and unable to overcome deflation. Meanwhile, it is a fact thatlarge companies continue to raise “unprecedented” profit *1.
During the past five years, after the formation of the Abe cabinet in December
2012, despite of severe criticism and controversies from the public on economic policies,
the cabinet continued to execute several irrational policies including raising rates ofconsumption tax from 5% to 8% in 2014, and gradual reduction of corporate tax.
Controversies and opposing opinions are vocalized in other unprogressive policies as
well, yet the current approval rating of the Abe cabinet remains high, and the current
LDP has won five consecutive victories in national elections. The reason that suchcontroversial situation continues is perhaps, because it indicates that voters who thought"There are no other choices to vote" did not go to vote, or a lot of people who actually
voted could not find an opposition party that could bring up alternative economic1policies, and as a result, many people have no other choice but to rely on Prime Minister
Abe’s promises of economic recovery and improvement on employment situation *2.
The government is attempting to raise the consumption tax rate from 8% to
10% in October 2019, in pursuit of fiscal consolidation. However, the reality was thattax revenue from the previous consumption tax increases was used to fill in the gaps
resulting from corporate tax reduction *3, despite of the initial promise that fiscal
expenditure was to be spent to enhance social security system. In such a situation,
personal consumption will decrease even more, and the seriousness of deflation
becomes more severe, bringing inevitable damage to the national economy. In addition,
in December 2018, with a stated intention as though to eliminate "(low wage) labor
shortage", an amendment to the Immigration Control Act passed by the Diet, themajority of its members are from the ruling parties. Normally at this point, if there wereother parties that can bring up more solid economic policies, the people would not haveneeded to vote for the LDP.
2019 is an important year for the future of Japan, starting with the unified
local elections in April and followed by the Upper House election in July. Unfortunately,
however, the oppositions have been unable to wipe off the negative image of the
Democratic Party's government (the image of which the Democratic Party has failed tooutrun the economic damage after the 2008 global financial crisis, because of the“theory of the fiscal crisis”) that lasted three years since September 2009 and have been
incapable of raising vigorous economic policies that would appeal voters providingprosperity and hope. What will happen to the people, over 50% of whom, claim theirliving conditions are worsening if the oppositions allow the implementation of the fiscal
austerity measures by the ruling party, based on their “theory of fiscal crisis", which
include the increase in consumption tax?
The government and the Osaka Restoration Association have launchedstimulus measures including the opening of casino and hosting the Osaka World Expoin 2025 following the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 to boost the profits of foreign investors
and big businesses. If the opposition parties remain incapable to compete with such
flamboyant yet superficial policies, the current LDP will likely win again. And as a2

result, ad hoc law amendments and controversial policies, ignoring strong opposition ofmany voters, will be further promoted. We are seriously concerned that the coercive andinconsiderate procedure by the ruling party will become habitual.
We must appeal strongly to the people that why the "austerity idea", rooted
deeply in the LDP led by Prime Minister Abe and some opposition party members, iswrong. It is absolutely essential for both ruling and opposition parties to make every
effort to formulate economic policies to improve the lives of the people as a priority
issue and should be the focal point of debate in the election. We strongly believe it istime to appeal to people that returning to the idea of income redistribution and laying
great importance on taking taxes from those who are wealthy, and investing in people tosolve their concerns about nursing, medical and child care will boost economic growthand lead to the expansion of employment and eventually enriching people's lives.
In recent years, the anti-austerity movement has become a big swell andinternationally integrated, which has a big influence in its own national economic policy.
These “choices for the people” are now surfacing internationally. The 2018 midterm
elections in New York, Democratic Representative Ms. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who
advocated “anti-austerity” policy (a term opposing the reduction of government
expenditure such as social security) won over the Republican candidate Mr. Anthony
Papas. In France, the "Yellow vests movement" by citizens halted the government's tax
increase policy. We fully support these movements of "anti-austerity" and"anti-regressive tax increase". We feel it is absolutely important also in Japan topromote an "anti-austerity" movement in the aim of supplanting the Abeadministration's economic policy.
In the same spirit of the “progressive movement”, we share a common goalwith our friends in the world who are fighting for their own justice. We certainly hope
to receive the support from our friends for our “Rose Mark Seal Campaign”, and to beunited for the better future of the human society.

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<Rose Mark Seal Certification Criteria>
We certify candidates who agree with the objectives of the “Rose Mark SealCampaign”, who disagree the austerity policy of the government prioritizing fiscal
discipline over the improvement of people’s living conditions is wrong, and also accept
to insist primarily the following anti-austerity policies. This does not mean werecommend candidates in terms of policies outside the economic theme.
1. Complete halt to raising consumption tax from 8% to 10%. (Preferably a reduction to5% for economic measures. However, this is not necessary for certification)
2. Prioritizing the improvement of people’s living conditions. Increasing fiscal
spending on social security, medical care, nursing care, child care, education, anddisaster prevention, thereby improving the economy and creating a large amount ofhigh-quality employment. (It is desirable for candidates for national election to claim
the they “never allow reverts to the age of depression, where mass employment
lingered)
3. Raising minimum wage, strengthening labor standards, eradicating companies thatcompel workers to work overtime and oppressing wage rates, and abolish theslavery-like “foreign technical training program” that is violating human rights.
4. Creating fair taxation system based on each level of economic power, such asenhancing taxes on large companies and the wealthy (Income tax, Corporate tax).
5. Until the tax increase in (4) is realized, (2) must be carried out by public financing
via issuance of government bonds and that at low cost. Thus it is necessary to refrainfrom advocating policies against such measures.
6. Developing public infrastructures, keeping its operation by public expenses.

4Note: As a philosophy of the “Rose Mark Seal Campaign”, individual dignity is apremise. Therefore, political parties and candidates who speaks and behaves against
individual dignity, such as ethnic discrimination and sexism, are not subject tocertification.
*1 Outlook for listed companies in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019 forecasts net
income to rise by 1% compared with the previous term and to secure the highest profit
for the third consecutive year <18/11/16 Nikkei Inc.>*2 In the monthly economic report of November 2018, the unemployment rate was2.3%, the lowest in 25 years, and active job offering ratio was 1.64 times, exceeding thebubble period.
*3 <18/06/05 Business Journal>
The "Rose Mark Seal Campaign" was officially launched on February 1 in Tokyo,
Japan, by founder and representative, Professor Tadasu Matsuo of Faculty ofEconomics, Ritsumeikan University, and other associates. Those who wish for further
details, please contact:
Contact Address: 3-1-1, Kaigandoori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0024 Japan
Telephone Number: +8190-9315-7935 (Ms. Saigo, Secretary General)
E-mail: info@rosemark.jp

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