Shii holds talks with CPPCC Chair Jia

   On September 14, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in Tokyo held talks with Jia Qinglin, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference chair and Communist Party of China Political Bureau Standing Committee member.

   Shii stated that he is pleased with the multifaceted development of relations between the JCP and the CPC since normalization of their relations. Referring to the historical fact that immediately after the Liutiaohu Incident on September 18, 1931, the two parties jointly issued a statement protesting Japan’s invasion of China, Shii stated that as a party that consistently opposed Japan’s war of aggression, the JCP is determined to further develop Japan-China relations.

   Jia pointed out that both parties have fostered close relations of exchange and share a common language concerning relations between the two countries as well as international issues. He stated that the JCP has played an important role in Japanese politics and greatly contributed to promoting friendship between Japan and China.

   Stressing the importance of correctly dealing with historical issues in developing long-lasting and sustainable relations between the two countries, Jia stated that the JCP’s work in clarifying historical issues has been beneficial and that the two parties should promote cooperation in this field, including providing each other with historical materials.

   “I agree with you,” Shii said, adding that the fact that the Sino-Japanese war was a war of aggression is proved even by the Japanese wartime official documents kept in Japan’s Foreign Ministry archives. He spoke about the JCP’s work on the history of Japan’s war of aggression making use of those official documents and the JCP’s debates with Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in the Diet.

   After explaining the present political situations in Japan, Shii stated, “Japan is undergoing a massive political upheaval, which reveals the underbelly of Japanese politics. You’re visiting Japan at a good time.”

   Shii explained that the root cause of Prime Minister Abe’s abandoning of his power is the failure of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties’ policy line under the Abe cabinet composed of the stance aberrantly subservient to the U.S., neo-liberal economic policies that have drastically increased poverty and social gaps, and pro-Yasukuni Shrine politics. “Today, Japan is in need of a new political framework to replace the LDP-Komei policy line,” stressed Shii.

   Jia expressed his gratitude for Shii’s detailed explanation about the Japanese political situation and stated, “We would like to further promote exchanges of ideas and information and cooperation with the JCP, thus contributing to the development of relations between our countries.”

   Shii in reply stated, “We also wish to develop the exchanges between our parties. I hope Chair Jia’s visit to Japan will be productive.”

- Akahata, September 15, 2007