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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP issues appeal

At the start of campaigning for the September 11 poll to elect members to the House of Representatives, the Japanese Communist Party Central Committee published an appeal calling for support for the JCP as the only reliable opposition party representing the interests of people in opposition to the Liberal Democratic Party-led undemocratic government. The appeal says:

Look at the policies of the so-called two major parties, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan; the DPJ intends to force people to pay more in taxes by abolishing income tax deductions and by increasing the consumption tax rate within three years. The DPJ is calling for constitutional amendments to enable Japan to use military force abroad. It also seeks to exclude minor parties from the Diet by cutting the number of House of Representatives proportional representation seats by 80.

The opposition DPJ and the ruling LDP are competing with each other for policies of forcing the public to shoulder extra-burdens in defense of the interests of business circles and large corporations and of enabling Japan to fight wars abroad with the United States.

The need now is for the present politics to give a role to a reliable opposition party working to defend the public interest and confront the LDP-led politics. From this standpoint, the JCP promises the public to work on the following three fronts:

First, the JCP will be straightforward in confronting the undemocratic politics pursued by both the present government of arrogant Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro and "the two major parties." The JCP has consistently faced up to misgovernment that imposes hardships on the people, and has defended peace, democracy, and the public interests for the 83 years since its inauguration.

Secondly, the JCP will bring people's earnest demands to national politics, and exert influence on real politics as an opposition party. In cooperation with grassroots movements, the JCP has tenaciously engaged in Diet deliberations to meet people's various demands, such as the effort to eliminate unpaid overtime work, reduce burdens in the nursing care insurance system, and establish a small-class size in schools.

Finally, the JCP on the world stage will actively promote its opposition party diplomacy based on peace and friendship. The JCP has developed its opposition party diplomacy with countries in Asia and the rest of the world, playing the role of a bridge between the world and Japanese people's wish for peace and friendship. The JCP will exert all its energies to open a way for Japan in the 21st century, instead of the present diplomatic impasse created by the Koizumi government that justifies Japan's past war of aggression and is submissive to the United States.

A JCP advance will be a great step to establish a politics in which people are the key players to change the future of Japanese politics, instead of the present deadlocked politics. -- Akahata, August 30, 2005