July 4, 2023

Japanese Communist Party Secretariate Head Koike Akira at a press conference on July 3 said that Izumi Kenta, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, should retract the remark he made in May in which he denied cooperating and coordinating the selection of candidates with the JCP for the next House of Representatives election.

The press corps asked Koike for comments on another remark Izumi made on June 30 which hinted at the possibility of electoral cooperation with the JCP through mediation by the "Civil Alliance". Koike in response pointed out that Izumi's remark in May is posing an obstacle to the joint struggles of opposition parties and concerned citizens, and argued that Izumi contradicts himself in implying the selection of candidates through the Civil Alliance without eliminating the obstacle he is causing.

Koike said that pro-Constitution opposition parties had worked together in national elections based on a common agenda agreed upon with the Civil Alliance, adding, "The role the Civil Alliance has been playing is very important."

He said, "As of this moment, however, the CDPJ leader's remark in May is obstructing the citizens-opposition parties joint struggle. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the CDPJ to retract Izumi's May remark first in order to remove the obstacle."

Past related article:
> JCP Koike: We won't shut doors to opposition parties' electoral cooperation [May 23, 2023]