200,000 people gather at 37th Akahata Festival

About 200,000 people took part in the Japanese Communist Party's 37th
Akahata Festival from November 2-4 at Tokyo's Yumenoshima Park, a vast tract
of reclaimed land facing Tokyo Bay.

Twenty ad balloons in the sky added to the festive atmosphere.

On the central stage, well-known musicians ranging from classical
vocalists to Japanese folk singers entertained the audience.

Festival participants also enjoyed themselves shopping at many booths
selling specialties from all over the country, from Hokkaido in the north to
Okinawa in the south. "Knowledge is power" was the slogan put up at a big
book store, where JCP Central Committee Chair Tetsuzo Fuwa and many other
authors autographed their books.

On November 3, JCP Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo gave the main
speech dealing with major problems facing the world at present, including
the U.S.-led war on Afghanistan, the struggle for peace, and the defense of
living conditions in Japan, including jobs.

Stressing that the future belongs to those who support social progress
and political change, he called on the audience to help build a larger and
stronger JCP in order to make the 21st century hopeful for everyone.

On the last day, JCP Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo gave a lecture
on how the 21st century should be like from the viewpoint of scientific
socialism, and answered questions from the audience.

Ichida Tadayoshi, the JCP Secretariat head, answered questions from the
audience which included many young people. Questions ranged from
international terrorism to love and marriage.

In a discussion forum on measures against terrorism, journalist Otani
Akihiro pointed out how unreasonable the retaliatory war is, stressing that
it kill innocent people, while denouncing the terrorists for having killed
innocent people.

Two hundred and fourteen people joined the JCP in the three days of
festivities.

About 500 people worked as volunteers cleaning temporary toilets and
disposing garbage. (end)