July 18, 2010

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo attended the Conference on Poverty Alleviation held by the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) on July 17 and 18 in Kunming, China.

Ogata took the rostrum at the session on the first day and said that eradication of poverty advances the interests not only of developing countries plagued by poverty, but also of developed countries which have a responsibility to support them. “It is a top priority task for all humankind to cooperate in eradicating poverty,” he stressed.

He also pointed out, “Donors must not push a predefined set of values on recipients and must respect the principle of non-interference in others’ internal affairs. Every country has its own internal logic in social development and its own pace and form according to its specific history and circumstances, and these should duly be respected. Imposing on others a specific set of values as universal must be rejected.”

The JCP vice-chair made proposals to promote poverty alleviation, including respect for recipient countries’ economic sovereignty, use of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to promote self-reliance and autonomous development of developing countries, and an introduction of an International Solidarity Levy and International Financial Transaction Tax.
- Akahata, July 18, 2010