JCP Executive Committee calls for increased efforts to achieve victory in general election

   The Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee held its regular meeting on March 4 at the JCP head office. The main item on the agenda was to discuss and approve a plan to step up the nationwide JCP campaign in preparation for the next House of Representatives general election.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo gave the report on behalf of the Standing Executive Committee.

   Citing the JCP Central Committee 5^th Plenum decision in September 2007, Shii stated that domestic political developments confirm the correctness of the JCP Party Program and that the task now is for the JCP to take effective and quick action by responding to these changes in the light of the events since early this year.

   Shii stated that the JCP is drawing public attention to its call for economic democracy to prevail in order to concentrate on rebuilding the national economy as well as the household economy by breaking away from the present policy of giving priority to defending the interests of large corporations. “This position meets the demands of the public,” he added.

   Shii said that his questioning in the Diet concerning the abuse of temporary workers drew attention from a broad spectrum of workers and that this encouraged young workers to demand a drastic revision to the Worker Dispatch Law.

He said that the JCP’s opposition to the planned new medical insurance system that will force the elderly aged 75 and older to pay more and to the continued use of the high-rate gas tax exclusively for road construction has received broad support from many people.

Shii emphasized that the recent collision of the Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyer with a small fishing boat and a U.S. Marine’s sexual assault in Okinawa led many people to question the Japan-U.S. military alliance, which has been used as the key mechanism to keep Japan in subordination to the United States and has allowed the government to give the military priority.” Shii noted this as a dramatic political change.

   Concerning the ongoing moves toward a two-party system, Shii stated that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is attempting to break the present political stalemate by imposing further reactionary changes, namely by forming a “grand coalition” of the LDP and the Democratic Party and a subsequent “political realignment.” He further stated, “How deceptive it is for the DPJ to talk of a ‘showdown’ with the LDP as a ploy to present itself as an opponent of the LDP!”

   Shii then spoke about how to increase its efforts, based on present achievements, to ensure a JCP victory in the coming general election.

   He said that the accuracy of the direction put forward by the JCP Program has been confirmed by the recent political developments, and that this is currently helping the party make further advances.

   He outlined the current JCP effort to “explain to the public about the JCP Program that sets out the future course of Japan.” He said that this drive is invigorating the JCP’s day-to-day work to increase the Akahata readership and recruit more party members and is helping to get more JCP candidates elected to local assemblies.

The drive is also effective in implementing the new election policy of giving proportional representation constituencies priority over single-seat constituencies, he added.

But at the same time, Shii said that the party strength expansion drive is still far from producing need results.

   Calling on the whole of the JCP to share the many lessons drawn from various activities and overcome various weaknesses, Shii said the party branches should make more conscious efforts using their respective “policies and action plans” and involving all party members in regular branch meetings as the key. He also pointed to the importance of establishing experienced leadership in  local party organizations.

  Stressing the need for “all members to study the 5th CC Plenum decision and take part in party activities,” the JCP chair called for a success in achieving the goals set for March and April in order to ensure a JCP victory in the next House of Representatives general election.

- Akahata, March 5, 2008