Critic Tsurumi Shunske: 'I take my hat off to the JCP

Tsurumi Shunsuke is a well-known critic. He went to the United States at age 15 and studied there until Japan's defeat in World War II. He recalls that the Japanese Communist Party in the prewar days was for him the "lodestar."

In an interview with Akahata, which was published on July 14, on the eve of the 79th founding anniversary of the JCP, he stated as follows:

I was born in 1922, the same year the Japanese Communist Party was founded. The JCP was founded on July 15, 20 days after my birth.

I had a cousin named Sano Seki. He was engaged in the prewar theater movement for the working class. I knew of the JCP through him and thus had a good impression of the JCP since my childhood.

I take off my hat to the JCP which showed militancy in the prewar days. It is partly because of my regret that I was unable to do so in those days that I wrote of the prewar JCP as "the lodestar."

Although there have been many twists and turns in my life after the end of World War II, I have always voted for the Communist Party in every election for the last 56 years. I never voted for another party, even when the JCP was critical of me, which was hard for me to accept.

My principle is "opposition to anti-communism," and I will maintain it. Anti-communism is the starting point and the secret of fascism.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's popularity should be seen as a reaction to his predecessor Mori Yoshiro's misgovernment. No one could have predicted what Mori would say next, because what he engaged in was a crazy comical dance. Koizumi took the baton from Mori, and this change of hands caused the high rating for Koizumi.

I am not saying Koizumi is doing nothing for reform. What he will do hereafter needs to be closely watched. He has no criticism of the past war. Therefore he does not understand how important it is to defend the Constitution's Article 9.

In the postwar period, Japan as a state has avoided facing up to what Japan did in its war which lasted for many years. If Japan continues to take this course, it will always obscure its past war, curry favor with the U.S., and continue to be a junior partner of the U.S. in dominating the world.

The JCP in its 79 year-history has never pushed Japan into war. I cannot talk about the JCP without mentioning its past efforts. I think this is a great achievement which no other party can claim.

As a contemporary with the JCP, I want the JCP to stay the course. (end)