Things will become even worse under Abe's leadership: JCP Shii

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

Things will become even worse under Abe's leadership: JCP Shii

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on September 20 issued the following statement on Abe Shinzo's election to replace Koizumi Jun'ichiro as the Liberal Democratic Party president:

During the past five years under the Koizumi government, LDP politics reached an impasse in all aspects of domestic and foreign affairs, forcing the public to suffer intolerable hardships.

There is no hope that Abe's new leadership will break the impasse. On the contrary, taking Abe's political remarks and activities into consideration, things will become even worse under Abe's leadership.

In particular, Abe's position on Japan's past war of aggression and colonial rule is critical.

Even Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, who repeatedly visited Yasukuni Shrine while in office, said that he shares the view of the 1995 Murayama Statement that expressed official "remorse" for the "colonial rule and aggression."

In contrast, Abe adamantly refuses to share this official historical understanding.

It is natural that many Japanese people and a number of countries are expressing concerns about and criticism of Abe's reactionary understanding of history as well as his strong stance on constitutional revision.

As the only reliable opposition party that squarely faces up to LDP politics, the JCP will make all-out efforts in and out of the Diet to stand firmly against Abe's leadership so as to foil any mal-administration that threatens Japan's future through adversely revising the Constitution and the Fundamental Law of Education.
- Akahata, September 21, 2006