April 9, 2024

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Shii Kazuo on April 8 received a visit from Cuban Ambassador to Japan Gisela Garcia at the JCP head office.

Shii thanked the ambassador for her attendance at the JCP 29th Congress in January.

The ambassador described Cuba’s struggle to have the U.S. blockade removed. Shii said that the blockade the U.S. government imposes on Cuba is an “unjust” policy and that the JCP strongly demands its lifting.

Garcia stressed the importance of the issue of nuclear weapons abolition. Shii said he hopes to continue to work closely with the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) to promote the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Garcia elaborated on the full text of the 2014 Declaration of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) proclaiming the region as a “Zone of Peace,” which renounces the use of force and stipulates the peaceful resolution of disputes. She emphasized the historical significance of the Declaration. Shii said that CELAC is an inclusive peace framework that does not exclude specific countries, and that he welcomes the “revitalization” of CELAC.

They also exchanged views on international issues, including the Gaza crisis, which Israel continues to attack as a flagrant violation of international law, and discussed issues in order to develop JCP-CPC relations through frank dialogue.