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

Akahata festivals held in Osaka, Hyogo, Nara

On May 21, the Akahata festival took place under sunny skies simultaneously in Osaka, Hyogo, and Nara prefectures in the Kansai region, and all the participants were united in the determination to establish a "people-oriented Japan."

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo gave an address at the Osaka festival in which 23,000 people took part during two days, JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi spoke to 8,000 participants in Hyogo, and JCP Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keji to 2,000 participants in Nara. They called for creating conditions for winning in nationwide simultaneous local elections and House of Councilors election next year.

Referring to the fact that mass media are giving attention to the JCP's steady progress in its share of seats in local assemblies, Shii pointed out that this reflects contradictions of "all-are-ruling-parties" local politics, the impasse caused by Liberal Democratic Party national politics, and expectations of the people who look for a new politics. Shii said, "Let's win in the Upper House proportional representation election next year by getting at least five candidates elected with more than 6.5 million votes!"

Ichida mentioned that the JCP's seat share in assemblies in the prefecture has increased through elections since the 24th JCP Congress held last January, receiving 152.2 percent of the votes cast in the House of Representatives proportional representation election last year. Ichida said, "Advance of the JCP is the only way to establish a new Japan in which people can live without anxieties."
- Akahata, May 22, 2006