Carrying placards and handing out leaflets, more than 20 protesters gathered Thursday outside the Foreign Ministry, demanding that the government oppose the next round of World Trade Organization negotiations slated to begin in November.

The event is part of the International Day of Action against the WTO, a worldwide event involving more than 1,100 citizens' groups from 87 countries that are opposed to greater trade liberalization.

Tokyo-based Global Village, a nongovernmental organization promoting "fair trade" from environmental and human rights points of view, organized the event in Japan.

Demonstrators said it is time to rethink the reign of the WTO because its decisions on trade undermine national laws, consequently damaging the environment and people's health.

"What we are saying is that environment and labor rights groups should have more power in making decisions (on trade), not transnational corporations and the WTO," said Katrina Muniz of Global Village.

The protesters also submitted more than 4,000 signatures addressed to Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Shoichi Nakagawa, minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, demanding that the government work to curb the WTO's influence in the November round of talks in Seattle.

Meanwhile, the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) announced the same day that it has set up a council to exchange information with the government on World Trade Organization negotiations.

The council will consist of officials from ministries including the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and 40 representatives from Keidanren.

Keidanren intends to use the council to make sure that industry has input into WTO negotiations, which are conducted by government representatives.

On the other hand, the government is expected to provide the business community with up-to-date information on the progress of negotiations and the demands of other countries.

No mention was made about input from nongovernmental groups.

The WTO, a panel that sets international trade rules, will hold its third ministerial-level meeting in Seattle in late November to set the agenda and format for WTO negotiations slated for next year.