March 5, 2021

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on March 4 took part in a rally which was held in the Upper House members’ office building in protest against the violent suppression by Myanmar’s military.

The rally was organized by a cross-party Dietmembers’ group supporting the democratization process in Myanmar.

Delivering a speech in solidarity, Koike pointed out that Myanmar citizens are raising an outcry nationwide against the military, which represents their determination not to allow yet again full military control of the government. Koike stressed, “The international community should jointly convey to Myanmar its clear stance not to accept a military government.”

Koike also pointed out that the Japanese government has maintained its historical ties with Myanmar’s military. He said, “The JCP will urge the Japanese government to make a strong request to the Myanmar Army that all people detained by the military be released without delay; that the military stop the brutal suppression immediately; and that the democratic government which was established with the victory of the National League for Democracy in the last general election be restored.”

In the rally, 39,000 signatures calling for the Japanese government to protect Myanmar citizens from the military coup were handed to JCP Koike and other political party lawmakers. The signatures were collected online by a group of students who study Burmese language and literature at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

Past related article:
> JCP denounces Myanmar's military coup [February 1, 2021]