JCP will seize emerging changes in political current and win two nationwide elections next year: Shii at Akahata Festival

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JCP will seize emerging changes in political current and win two nationwide elections next year: Shii at Akahata Festival

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo gave the main Akahata Festival speech on November 4. Entitled "Changes taking place in the political currents and the JCP," he emphasized the importance of the JCP's role in bringing about changes in the direction of politics.

JCP will make every effort reveal and eliminate argument justifying the war of aggression

Referring to his parliamentary debate with Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, Shii first spoke about the JCP's demand that the prime minister should not put his personal historical view before stated government policy. He noted that during the debate, Abe was compelled to state that he as the prime minister accepts the government statement by then Prime Minister Murayama Tomiichi, that Japan carried out colonial rule and aggression by following a mistaken national policy and then Chief Cabinet Secretary Kono Yohei statement admitting the Japanese military's involvement in the issue of "comfort women."

Shii said that the JCP welcomed the outcome of Prime Minister Abe's recent talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun, which could be the first step toward a positive future in Japan's relations with these neighboring countries.

However, Shii pointed out that there remains a strong current that sticks to the view that the Japanese war of aggression was a just war.

Pointing out the ambiguous attitude of Prime Minister Abe who is reluctant to state whether he is willing to visit Yasukuni Shrine or not, Shii said, "As the party that strongly opposed the war of aggression and colonial rule, we will make every effort to get rid of the root cause of the back current that tries to deny historical facts."

Subservience to U.S.

Secondly, Shii spoke about Japan's extraordinary subservience to the United States. He particularly criticized Prime Minister Abe for publicly stating his determination to get the Constitution adversely revised during his tenure in response to the U.S. demand to do so.

He argued how the attempt to gut the war-renouncing Article 9 goes against the worldwide call for an international order of peace by pointing out that U.S. hegemony has gone bankrupt and that peaceful and diplomatic settlement of disputes is an internationally accepted standard in the light of the U.N. Charter.

Referring to the recent North Korean nuclear test, Shii emphasized that the JCP's call for the two principles of international cooperation based on unanimity and the pursuit of peaceful and diplomatic resolution of disputes contributed to the adoption of a unanimous Diet resolution in Japan supporting this stance and also found its expression in the U.N. Security Council resolution that represents the direction of the international community's effort.

Shii said, "The 21st century is an era in which the value of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution will produce a shining light of hope," adding, "Article 9 is a treasure of the Japanese people and the common asset of all Asian peoples. Let us do our utmost to form a majority in opposition to the adverse revision of the Constitution."

Extreme pro-business policy

In exposing the extreme pro-business nature of government policies, he cited JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi's questioning in the Diet about the large corporations using temporary workers by disguising them as business contractors in order to disregard workers' rights. He said that this questioning prompted sharp public criticism of the business sector and large corporations for their autocratic treatment of workers. He said that the power to change government policies and workplaces lies in the effort of the JCP and workers' struggles. "Forced unpaid overtime work and the use of temporary workers by disguising them as business contractors must be eliminated. Let us join forces in order to advance the struggle to establish humane work rules," he said.

Opposition to adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education

Shii also took up the danger of the government attempt to get the Fundamental Law of Education adversely revised.

He said the government bill will only goes against the need to overcome the present serious problems related to education, such as school bullying and education that encourages harsh competition.

Shii said, "Prime minister Abe Shinzo blames teachers and students for ignoring discipline, but he should know that the government itself may be the most in need of discipline. Let us step up common action to scrap the government bill."

Finally, Shii spoke about the opposition party diplomacy that the JCP is carrying out, in particular on his recent visit to South Korea and Pakistan. He stressed that he felt the vitality of the JCP 's programmatic line, saying, "We had heart-to-heart exchanges with these two countries which are often labeled as pro-U.S. Isn't this more proof that the world is changing?"

"The world is changing. Japan is also entering a period of history filled with the possibility of major changes for social progress," Shii said and called for an even greater effort to emerge victorious in next year's two major nationwide elections, the House of Councilors election and the simultaneous local elections.
- Akahata, November 5, 2006