Shii meets with Chinese Association for International Understanding vice chair

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on November 18 received Li Chengren, executive vice chairman of the Chinese Association for International Understanding, at the JCP head office on November 18.

Shii and Li have known each other since they attended the talks in Beijing between JCP Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo and Communist Party of China General Secretary Jiang Zemin following the normalization of JCP-CPC relations. Li, who was deputy head of the CPC International Department at the time, was involved in the JCP-CPC talks.

Responding to Li's questions about the recent Lower House general election in Japan, Shii explained a major change taking place in the political landscape in the run-up to the poll. Shii said that the JCP regrettably lost many seats, but added that the 4.58 million votes the JCP obtained in proportional representation blocs was 250,000 votes more than what it received in the 2001 House of Councilors election.

Shii stated that the political situation in Japan will evolve through a struggle between two forces: one made up of the two major conservative parties committed to a consumption tax rate increase and an adverse revision of the Constitution, and the other comprised of progressive forces standing for democracy. This suggests that the JCP has a very important role to play in this new political situation, he added.

Pointing to the JCP contribution to Japan's peaceful development as well as the advance of JCP-CPC relations, Li expressed hope for JCP advances in the future.

Referring to the Koizumi Cabinet's plan to send the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq, Shii said the need now is to replace the U.S.-British military occupation with a U.N.-led effort to help the Iraqis rebuild their country.

Li, who is familiar with Arab affairs, said that Iraq has a strong nationalism and pointed out that the present resistance to U.S. forces is by not only the pro-Saddam Hussein forces but includes a wide range of Iraqi people. He stated that the need now is to establish an Iraqi government by the Iraqis. He warned that the Japanese SDF in Iraq will be exposed to serious risks.

Concerning pending historical issues between Japan and China, including the Japanese prime minister's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, Shii said that the JCP will continue its efforts to resolve the issue so that people are convinced on the basis of fact and reason. (end)