 Fuwa speaks on new political movement in Asia Fuwa Tetsuzo, Japanese Communist Party Central Committee chair, in a speech on September 17 emphasized that a new political movement is emerging in Asia. Fuwa used his speech to the National Association for a Peaceful, Democratic and Progressive Japan (Kakushinkon) general assembly in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture, to report on his participation in the 3rd International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) held in Beijing from September 3-5. Fuwa began by saying, "The conference made me realize that I was taking part in making history." Eighty-one political parties from 35 countries, regardless of whether they were governing or opposition, conservative or progressive, met at the ICAPP hoping to increase regional cooperation and development. Fuwa emphasized how significant it was to hold such a meeting in Asia which embraces one-third of the world's space and 60 percent of the world population, and which has a history of division and confrontation caused by foreign aggression and dependence. Beijing Declaration Fuwa said that it is important that the "Beijing Declaration 2004" adopted at the ICAPP showed the way to break with the past of anti-communism by stating "Ideological differences should not be a barrier to contacts and cooperation between political parties." He also noted that the Declaration cited the U.N. Charter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and the ten principles of the Bandung Conference as the standards to be shared by all Asian political parties in the effort to build a peaceful world order. JCP's statement and activities Fuwa explained that his speech at the conference was focused on the issue of achieving a peaceful world order. He said that he proposed taking a path toward an Asia and a world without war and that he stressed the significance of the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference in 2005 and spoke of the JCP's policy of sovereign independence and pacifism. He added that his statement was received favorably by other delegates and caught the attention of the Chinese media. Referring to his conversations with delegates from 27 countries, Fuwa said this paved the way for establishing relations with more parties in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Fuwa said, "At the time of the previous conference two years ago, no country in the Indian subcontinent had a communist party in power. This year, three of the five countries, i.e., India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have coalition governments that include a communist party." Fuwa said that the JCP policy of establishing relations with any party that is willing to talk with the JCP seems to be new to many of the participants. Japan's Liberal Democratic Party was the only major party to be absent from the 3rd ICAPP. Fuwa said, "No one in the conference referred to the absence of the LDP," adding that this shows a clear contrast between a rapidly changing Asia in the 21st century and the LDP left out from the change. He said, "However hard the hawks try to lead Japan by force, that does not secure Japan's future." (end) |