JCP braces itself for House of Councilors election

The 151st ordinary Diet session ended on June 29. Political parties are geared up for the July 29 House of Councilors election.

The Japanese Communist Party held a national meeting of prefectural committee chairs on the same day. The JCP's six Upper House seats will be up for election.

In the meeting, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo stressed that the JCP in the coming election should concentrate its efforts on persuading people into voting for the JCP as the only party that can be responsive to the needs of the people and work for the future of Japan. This is because a head-on confrontation between the JCP and the LDP has become obvious in all fields.

On the task facing the JCP in the election, Shii said that the need is to make the JCP the people's choice in both prefectural constituencies and the proportional representation constituency. This is only possible by getting the people to understand the value of the JCP in the JCP-LDP confrontation, Shii said. Nine of the JCP candidates for proportional representation elections must be elected by all means, and it is a mandate that the JCP votes in proportional representation must increase nationwide, he added.

Referring to the characteristics of the election, Shii said that the JCP in the election is assigned the difficult task of turning the setback in the last general election for the House of Representatives into an advance. The JCP must confront the Koizumi Cabinet, criticize other opposition parties, and counter anti-communist attacks.

On the efforts required to achieve the aim, Shii said that JCP activities must not remain in a conventional framework. He called on JCP prefectural committee chairs to promptly create a great advance in the quality and quantity of their efforts. (end)